A "white pride" rally on the grounds of the California state capitol in Sacremento erupted in violence Sunday afternoon. Seven people suffered stab wounds, according to George Granada, California Highway Patrol spokesman None of the wounds were life-threatending, he said.
The violence began when a group of about 200 members of "an anti-fascist group" rushed the 30 members of the white nationalists group, Granada said. The two groups "collided" and a series of fights involving knives and sticks broke out.
Violence at the rally, held by the Traditionalist Workers Party -- a white nationalists group -- was not unexpected, according to Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino. The group of counter protesters "have been telegraphing this for weeks" that they would be there to oppose the rally, he said. The nationalist group had a legal permit to hold the rally.
The group's leader, Matthew Heimbach, gained notice earler this year when he pushed a black protester at a Donald Trump rally. Heimbach considered canceling the event before it started because of threats from people angry about that incident, Levin said.
#MatthewHeimbach is dangerous
-- Twin Peaks Survivors (@TPSurvivors) June 26, 2016
you see the result today #Sacramento stabbings pic.twitter.com/VuWvBr90YJ
Insane video. Crowd sees any signs of "Nazis" and they run&attack. A lot of people bleeding/getting maced. @ABC10 pic.twitter.com/PoFhILfZ95
-- Frances Wang (@ABC10Frances) June 26, 2016
VIDEO: Police stepping in to stop a man from being attacked. @ABC10 pic.twitter.com/Wzd9Q8zt1j
-- Frances Wang (@ABC10Frances) June 26, 2016
Masked counter protesters were lined up against the white supremacists as the rally began.
A lot of counter protestors in all black, covering their faces. For some reason, they don't like media. @ABC10 pic.twitter.com/WqnXkjzkpa
-- Frances Wang (@ABC10Frances) June 26, 2016
Sacramento police and state police were out in force ahead of the violence.
N&10 blocked off. Police expect more "counter protestors" than protestors from Traditionalist Working Party. @ABC10 pic.twitter.com/rWpEaRqqhV
-- Frances Wang (@ABC10Frances) June 26, 2016
This is a longer video showing the lead up to the violence.
Antifascists shut down the Nazi rally today in #Sacramento. Victory has been declared. #NoNazisInSac pic.twitter.com/LaME9iyqRH
-- Bradley Allen (@BradleySA) June 26, 2016
Developing...
