A series of violent clashes this weekend involving neo-Nazis permitted to rally at the state Capitol was initiated not by the white nationalist group but by counter-protesters, a law enforcement official said Monday.
“If I had to say who started it and who didn’t, I’d say the permitted group didn’t start it,” said California Highway Patrol officer George Granada, a spokesman for its Protective Services division. “They came onto the grounds and were met almost instantly with a group of protesters there not to talk.”
The Traditionalist Worker Party had a permit to hold a rally on the Capitol grounds at noon, Granada said.
Waiting for them were counter-protesters, including members of the anti-fascist organization Antifa Sacramento, which had promoted a “Shut Down Nazi Rally” event on its website leading up to Sunday.
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Final from State Capitol incident: 10 patients, 9 M, 1 F, 19 to 58 age range. Multiple stab and laceration wounds. pic.twitter.com/r3aSvrGH4H
— Sacramento Fire (@SacFirePIO) June 27, 2016
These nazis made it to the capital steps and were attacked with sticks and concrete. #nonazisinsac pic.twitter.com/xyKFf4WDTS
— Dave Id (@DaveId) June 26, 2016