Men with KKK hoods and Trump flag try to disrupt Black Lives Matter rally in Nevada – but George Floyd protesters and pro-police counter-demonstrators join forces to chase them off
- Incident occurred on Monday during BLM protest in Fallon, Nevada
- BLM protesters and pro-police counter demonstrators faced off across a street
- But the two sides joined together and traded hugs in a demonstration of peace
- As demonstrations wound down, two men in KKK hoods tried to disrupt them
- Both sides demanded the racist men in KKK hoods leave immediately
Black Lives Matter demonstrators and pro-police counter-protesters have joined forces in Nevada to chase off a small group of men wearing the white hoods of the Ku Klux Klan who tried to disrupt their peaceful rallies.
The incident occurred on Monday in Fallon, a small city 60 miles west of Reno, where a group of BLM protesters and counter-demonstrators had faced off across a street chanting at each other.
In a surprise move, the two sides joined together and exchanged hugs and dialogue — but as the rallies wound down, two men tried to disrupt the peace by marching up wearing KKK hoods and waving a flag supporting President Donald Trump.
Both the BLM protesters and the pro-law enforcement demonstrators began shouting at the men in hoods, and chased them off as police escorted them away.
Two men in KKK hoods tried to disrupt a Black Lives Matter rally on Monday in Nevada
But both BLM protesters and pro-police counter demonstrators joined forces to demand that the racists in the KKK hoods leave the area immediately
A spokesman for the Fallon Police Department did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com about the incident.
The two official protests had begun with animosity, exchanging chants of ‘Black Lives Matter!’ and ‘All Lives Matter’ across the street from each other.
But at some point, the aggression turned to dialogue as the two sides crossed the street and exchanged hugs.
‘We all want peace. Yes we do,’ said pro-police demonstrator Max Ryan as he hugged BLM protest leader Ladaysha Dula, in a moment captured by KTVN.
Ryan was openly carrying a gun to the protest to demonstrate support for his Second Amendment rights, and ensure things didn’t devolve into violence, he said.
About 70 BLM supporters gathered on Williams Avenue in Fallon on Monday for a protest
Across the street, about 30 counter-demonstrators chanted ‘All Lives Matter’ and ‘Police Lives Matter’ as the expressed their support for law enforcement
In a surprise move, the two sides exchanged hugs and talked with each other for almost an hour before the unidentified men in KKK hoods tried to disrupt the unity
‘What ended up transpiring, I don’t think either one of us saw happening. The parties came across each other’s line. And they said they come in peace,’ he told the CBS affiliate.
‘So I said if you come in peace, then give me a hug. And the next thing I know we were having a civilized conversation, educating each other. It’s kind amazing what one hug can do sometimes,’ said Ryan.
On the other side, Dula had lead chants of ‘No justice, no peace. No racist police,’ during the rally.
‘We are here today calling for justice for all those who lost their lives at the hands of police brutality. We want a better system,’ she said.
BLM organizer Ladaysha Dula (left) joined together with pro-police demonstrator Max Ryan (right) to engage in dialogue, with both sides denouncing the KKK provocateurs
After the two sides had spoken with each other for about an hour and were preparing to go home, the provocateurs with the KKK hoods appeared.
The BLM protesters and pro-police protesters were both outraged, and joined forces to chase off the racist group.
After the rally, Ryan said in a Facebook comment: ‘It went very well. We spoke for over an hour sharing or opinions and believes [sic].’
‘We actually found we agree on more than we disagree on. To include the way the movement has been handled in other places. Thanks to all the BLM protesters for being peaceful and open minded.’