from Oathkeepers:
February 28th, 2011
Video – Union Thugs Gone Wild
I’m Randy Swanson, acting Rhode Island Oath Keepers Chapter President. I’m also a former member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union and Rhode Island Council 94, AFSCME, AFL-CIO. These videos are not meant to foster ill will towards any group of people or unions as a whole. We are not anti-union. But we are anti-thug. We will continue to stand up for the truth, free speech, the Constitution and the rule of law. Violence, threats, and attempts at intimidation have no place in a civil society.
On February 22, 2011 at 3:45 p.m. I arrived at the Rhode Island Statehouse to document a rally that was taking place at our state capitol. Things were going pretty well until I saw one of the “alleged” union members (”perpetrator number one,” in red) moving swiftly through the crowd pushing people out of his way to purposely block one gentleman from filming with his video camera. (See my first video below, which shows him talking to his boss first and getting a pat on the back) This went on for a few minutes, I kept one eye on this intentional altercation while continuing to film the speaker at the podium. During this time there was more commotion behind me and a number of other “alleged” union members were repositioning themselves at the back of another individual with a video camera. They were continuously bumping and shoving the individual until at one point the “alleged” union member with the brown coat (perpetrator number two) stuck his fingers in the face of the innocent cameraman. Some words were exchanged. The camera was nowhere near the perpetrators face as the video clearly shows. The “alleged” union member with the brown jacket (”perpetrator two”) said: “I’ll F-ck your mother” “I’ll F-ck your mother” “How is that?” “How is that?” “I’ll F-ck you up the ass you fagot” “You better get away from here” “You better get away from here” He violently lashed out, leaning forward and at full arm’s-length struck the camera and said:”Get that camera out of my face,” “Get that camera out of my F-cking face,” “F-ck you too” “F-ck you too” and “You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
Then the crowd whipped themselves up into a frenzy chanting “hey hey ho ho union busters got to go” over and over again.
I tried to calm the situation down, the Capitol police arrived and escorted one of the perpetrators from the scene along with the innocent victims.
Then the speaker at the podium singled me out and said: (which I immediately interpreted to be a very thinly veiled threat): Hey brother, hey brother, I’m sure there are more than enough union cards out here that we could present to these people to see if they want to join, all right? while others in the crowd were chanting out “Tea bagger”, “Tea bagger”
I continued filming the event. When the event was over I headed down the stairs towards the Capitol police security station, behind me I could hear more threats of “Tea bagger” “Tea bagger” and “we are going to follow you out of here” “I’ll break his f-in legs” “I’ll break his F-in back.” (unfortunately, we can’t hear those threats on the audio at this time, but we are trying to enhance the audio). I told the Capitol police officer at the security station that there are many cameras that captured the assault on the innocent cameraman and asked him for contact information so I could deliver the evidence of the crime that I had on my camera. the officer told me that Chief Little would be the person to get in touch with and wrote down his phone number for me. This is when the individual, the “alleged” union member we will refer to as “perpetrator three,” that was threatening me behind my back, made his first face-to-face confrontation. In front of the Capitol police, he said: “I am here to keep you from lying,” “you didn’t get assaulted” (which shows that he was indeed following me). I tried to calm him down and said “I never said that I was assaulted” and told him that nobody should fear any truth that may have been captured on any of the video cameras. At this point I became concerned for my safety and also protecting the evidence of the crime that was captured on my video recorder. So I headed out the door to try to return to my vehicle.
Knowing that I have already been threatened a number of times, I continued to let the camera run while pointing it behind me. I walked at a very brisk pace down the sidewalk to return to my vehicle. I glanced behind me a number of times to see if any of the people who had threatened me were following me, and sure enough “perpetrator three” was at my heels. I made an abrupt 180° turn back toward the Statehouse to confirm that I was being stalked (by seeing if he turned to follow me) and when I walked by him he mumbled under his breath “I’ll F-ck you up.” Fearing for my safety and not knowing how many accomplices were involved at that time I swiftly walked back to the Capitol police security station inside the Statehouse. As I expected, “perpetrator three” turned and followed at a short distance as I walked back to the Statehouse. On the way back I passed two of the Union leaders and told them that I was getting threatened and followed by one of their guys and asked them to please tell him to stop. (They did nothing as it shows on the video.) I walked by two more union leaders and told them “one of your guys is following and threatening me, can you tell him to stop.” They also did nothing. This is when I placed my first of five calls to 911. I made it back to the Capitol Police security station and “perpetrator three” took up a post right outside the door.
I told Capitol police that he had been stalking and threatening me and that I was on the phone to the 911 emergency center. The Capitol police asked “perpetrator three” what his problem was and if he would move along but he refused. Fearing for my safety and wanting to secure the crime evidence that was stored on my video camera, I asked the Capitol police if they would escort me to my vehicle. While I was walking out of the door with the Capitol police, “perpetrator three” made more threatening gestures and comments. He continued to follow and stalk us all the way to the police vehicle then he stood in front of the vehicle pointing his cell phone at us to take pictures or video. He continued to shout at me through the passenger window as we drove away.
I asked the Capital Police officer if he would mind taking a right out of the driveway so “perpetrator three” and his accomplices could not follow us along the same path they did last time which was to the left. Then I asked the Capitol Police Officer if he could drop me off in front of Borders bookstore (where there would be less chance of being ambushed on the street). He said he would drop me off on the Capitol grounds.
I looked in every direction to see if I could recognize any of the perpetrators stalking me and then I entered Borders bookstore to gain access to my vehicle. I walked through the store and towards the parking garage and there was “perpetrator three” waiting for me in front of the parking garage.
I turned and went back into the Borders bookstore and asked them to call the police (call number two) from their land line and tell the police that this man who had already threatened me a number of times was stalking me and was standing right outside the door, waiting for me at the entrance to the parking garage. I told them that the Capitol police were already aware of the situation, that they had dropped me off and that 911 had already been called. “Perpetrator three” followed me back into the store and continued to harass me in front of 11 witnesses, two clerks, and the store manager. Knowing how persistent he was, and it was obvious now to me that he was intent on getting the evidence of the crime that was stored on my video camera, I called 911 for the third time and also asked the manager of Borders to contact mall security.
“Perpetrator three,” now joined by a number of his accomplices, continued to stand outside the door pointing to me and making threatening gestures. Mall security arrived and began interviewing them. Unfortunately, security wasn’t interested in hearing my side of the story even though I was the one that had called them to the scene). I told mall security that I had been dropped off by the Capitol police. At which point “perpetrator three” said he saw the Capitol police dropped me off across the street. I said, “oh are you stalking me?” These statements are also verified on the video. I called 911 again (call number four) and went to the other door to wait for the Providence Police Department to show up. And then here comes “perpetrator three” stalking me again.
The Providence Police Department showed up and I told them what was going on and that everything had been documented on film. I told them that he had been stalking me and threatening to do physical harm. I told them: “Yes I will press charges.” The police handcuffed “perpetrator three” and I figured the matter was now finally over … but not quite! “Perpetrator three” lied to the police officers, telling them that I was threatening him in spite of all the evidence running onto the video camera continuously for the last hour and a half. I showed the Providence Police Department the video that I had been taking and at 6:35 p.m. I was finally escorted safely to my vehicle so I could find out if anybody was waiting for me outside the parking garage exit. Then I waited for a call from the Providence Police Department detective squad.
On February 23, the victim of the assault and myself presented the video evidence of the attack inside the state capital to Chief Joseph T. Little Jr. from the Capitol Police Department. I also submitted the complete linear/unedited version of the video I took that day that runs from approximately 3:45 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. when I shut the camera down to show Providence Police Department the video evidence. The tape clearly shows the coordinated stalking, threats of physical harm (with intent and ability to carry them out , which I believe constitutes simple assault in Rhode Island), and harassment that occurred after the event.
On February 24 Chief Joseph T. Little Jr. called to tell me that the video evidence has been delivered to the Rhode Island State police.
Randy Swanson
Acting Rhode Island Oath Keepers State Chapter President
It seems that perpetrator three is an experienced hand at trying to intimidate. Below you will see pics of the gentlemen at a tea party rally at the Rhode Island State capitol on April 15th, 2010, wearing a t-shirt with “Tea Bagger” and “Party Crasher” written on it, was quoted at the rally saying:
“I’m here because of ignorance,” said Peter Wilcox, of Warwick. “I’d like to know how many of them are college-educated, or how many people understand the health-care bill.”
A lone counter-protester wearing a black shirt
that read, “Tea Bagger” and “Party Crasher” stood
quietly behind the podium for much of the rally.
While two police officers stood at his side, he was not
forced to move.
Read More Posts
February 28th, 2011
Video – Union Thugs Gone Wild
I’m Randy Swanson, acting Rhode Island Oath Keepers Chapter President. I’m also a former member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union and Rhode Island Council 94, AFSCME, AFL-CIO. These videos are not meant to foster ill will towards any group of people or unions as a whole. We are not anti-union. But we are anti-thug. We will continue to stand up for the truth, free speech, the Constitution and the rule of law. Violence, threats, and attempts at intimidation have no place in a civil society.
On February 22, 2011 at 3:45 p.m. I arrived at the Rhode Island Statehouse to document a rally that was taking place at our state capitol. Things were going pretty well until I saw one of the “alleged” union members (”perpetrator number one,” in red) moving swiftly through the crowd pushing people out of his way to purposely block one gentleman from filming with his video camera. (See my first video below, which shows him talking to his boss first and getting a pat on the back) This went on for a few minutes, I kept one eye on this intentional altercation while continuing to film the speaker at the podium. During this time there was more commotion behind me and a number of other “alleged” union members were repositioning themselves at the back of another individual with a video camera. They were continuously bumping and shoving the individual until at one point the “alleged” union member with the brown coat (perpetrator number two) stuck his fingers in the face of the innocent cameraman. Some words were exchanged. The camera was nowhere near the perpetrators face as the video clearly shows. The “alleged” union member with the brown jacket (”perpetrator two”) said: “I’ll F-ck your mother” “I’ll F-ck your mother” “How is that?” “How is that?” “I’ll F-ck you up the ass you fagot” “You better get away from here” “You better get away from here” He violently lashed out, leaning forward and at full arm’s-length struck the camera and said:”Get that camera out of my face,” “Get that camera out of my F-cking face,” “F-ck you too” “F-ck you too” and “You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
Then the crowd whipped themselves up into a frenzy chanting “hey hey ho ho union busters got to go” over and over again.
I tried to calm the situation down, the Capitol police arrived and escorted one of the perpetrators from the scene along with the innocent victims.
Then the speaker at the podium singled me out and said: (which I immediately interpreted to be a very thinly veiled threat): Hey brother, hey brother, I’m sure there are more than enough union cards out here that we could present to these people to see if they want to join, all right? while others in the crowd were chanting out “Tea bagger”, “Tea bagger”
I continued filming the event. When the event was over I headed down the stairs towards the Capitol police security station, behind me I could hear more threats of “Tea bagger” “Tea bagger” and “we are going to follow you out of here” “I’ll break his f-in legs” “I’ll break his F-in back.” (unfortunately, we can’t hear those threats on the audio at this time, but we are trying to enhance the audio). I told the Capitol police officer at the security station that there are many cameras that captured the assault on the innocent cameraman and asked him for contact information so I could deliver the evidence of the crime that I had on my camera. the officer told me that Chief Little would be the person to get in touch with and wrote down his phone number for me. This is when the individual, the “alleged” union member we will refer to as “perpetrator three,” that was threatening me behind my back, made his first face-to-face confrontation. In front of the Capitol police, he said: “I am here to keep you from lying,” “you didn’t get assaulted” (which shows that he was indeed following me). I tried to calm him down and said “I never said that I was assaulted” and told him that nobody should fear any truth that may have been captured on any of the video cameras. At this point I became concerned for my safety and also protecting the evidence of the crime that was captured on my video recorder. So I headed out the door to try to return to my vehicle.
Knowing that I have already been threatened a number of times, I continued to let the camera run while pointing it behind me. I walked at a very brisk pace down the sidewalk to return to my vehicle. I glanced behind me a number of times to see if any of the people who had threatened me were following me, and sure enough “perpetrator three” was at my heels. I made an abrupt 180° turn back toward the Statehouse to confirm that I was being stalked (by seeing if he turned to follow me) and when I walked by him he mumbled under his breath “I’ll F-ck you up.” Fearing for my safety and not knowing how many accomplices were involved at that time I swiftly walked back to the Capitol police security station inside the Statehouse. As I expected, “perpetrator three” turned and followed at a short distance as I walked back to the Statehouse. On the way back I passed two of the Union leaders and told them that I was getting threatened and followed by one of their guys and asked them to please tell him to stop. (They did nothing as it shows on the video.) I walked by two more union leaders and told them “one of your guys is following and threatening me, can you tell him to stop.” They also did nothing. This is when I placed my first of five calls to 911. I made it back to the Capitol Police security station and “perpetrator three” took up a post right outside the door.
I told Capitol police that he had been stalking and threatening me and that I was on the phone to the 911 emergency center. The Capitol police asked “perpetrator three” what his problem was and if he would move along but he refused. Fearing for my safety and wanting to secure the crime evidence that was stored on my video camera, I asked the Capitol police if they would escort me to my vehicle. While I was walking out of the door with the Capitol police, “perpetrator three” made more threatening gestures and comments. He continued to follow and stalk us all the way to the police vehicle then he stood in front of the vehicle pointing his cell phone at us to take pictures or video. He continued to shout at me through the passenger window as we drove away.I asked the Capital Police officer if he would mind taking a right out of the driveway so “perpetrator three” and his accomplices could not follow us along the same path they did last time which was to the left. Then I asked the Capitol Police Officer if he could drop me off in front of Borders bookstore (where there would be less chance of being ambushed on the street). He said he would drop me off on the Capitol grounds.
I looked in every direction to see if I could recognize any of the perpetrators stalking me and then I entered Borders bookstore to gain access to my vehicle. I walked through the store and towards the parking garage and there was “perpetrator three” waiting for me in front of the parking garage.
I turned and went back into the Borders bookstore and asked them to call the police (call number two) from their land line and tell the police that this man who had already threatened me a number of times was stalking me and was standing right outside the door, waiting for me at the entrance to the parking garage. I told them that the Capitol police were already aware of the situation, that they had dropped me off and that 911 had already been called. “Perpetrator three” followed me back into the store and continued to harass me in front of 11 witnesses, two clerks, and the store manager. Knowing how persistent he was, and it was obvious now to me that he was intent on getting the evidence of the crime that was stored on my video camera, I called 911 for the third time and also asked the manager of Borders to contact mall security.
“Perpetrator three,” now joined by a number of his accomplices, continued to stand outside the door pointing to me and making threatening gestures. Mall security arrived and began interviewing them. Unfortunately, security wasn’t interested in hearing my side of the story even though I was the one that had called them to the scene). I told mall security that I had been dropped off by the Capitol police. At which point “perpetrator three” said he saw the Capitol police dropped me off across the street. I said, “oh are you stalking me?” These statements are also verified on the video. I called 911 again (call number four) and went to the other door to wait for the Providence Police Department to show up. And then here comes “perpetrator three” stalking me again.
The Providence Police Department showed up and I told them what was going on and that everything had been documented on film. I told them that he had been stalking me and threatening to do physical harm. I told them: “Yes I will press charges.” The police handcuffed “perpetrator three” and I figured the matter was now finally over … but not quite! “Perpetrator three” lied to the police officers, telling them that I was threatening him in spite of all the evidence running onto the video camera continuously for the last hour and a half. I showed the Providence Police Department the video that I had been taking and at 6:35 p.m. I was finally escorted safely to my vehicle so I could find out if anybody was waiting for me outside the parking garage exit. Then I waited for a call from the Providence Police Department detective squad.
On February 23, the victim of the assault and myself presented the video evidence of the attack inside the state capital to Chief Joseph T. Little Jr. from the Capitol Police Department. I also submitted the complete linear/unedited version of the video I took that day that runs from approximately 3:45 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. when I shut the camera down to show Providence Police Department the video evidence. The tape clearly shows the coordinated stalking, threats of physical harm (with intent and ability to carry them out , which I believe constitutes simple assault in Rhode Island), and harassment that occurred after the event.
On February 24 Chief Joseph T. Little Jr. called to tell me that the video evidence has been delivered to the Rhode Island State police.
Randy Swanson
Acting Rhode Island Oath Keepers State Chapter President
It seems that perpetrator three is an experienced hand at trying to intimidate. Below you will see pics of the gentlemen at a tea party rally at the Rhode Island State capitol on April 15th, 2010, wearing a t-shirt with “Tea Bagger” and “Party Crasher” written on it, was quoted at the rally saying:
“I’m here because of ignorance,” said Peter Wilcox, of Warwick. “I’d like to know how many of them are college-educated, or how many people understand the health-care bill.”
A lone counter-protester wearing a black shirt
that read, “Tea Bagger” and “Party Crasher” stood
quietly behind the podium for much of the rally.
While two police officers stood at his side, he was not
forced to move.
Read More Posts
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