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View Full Version : SWAT team raids Texas bar for reopening, hosting protest



Teh One Who Knocks
05-07-2020, 10:20 AM
Nexstar Media Wire


https://i.imgur.com/Z9ayTDo.jpg

ECTOR COUNTY, TEXAS (YourBasin) — What was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration quickly took a wrong turn at a Texas bar this week.

Gabrielle Ellison, owner of Big Daddy Zane’s bar in West Odessa, opened her doors despite Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest executive order requiring bars, gyms and salons to remain closed. She said it boiled down to feeding her family.

“We can’t take it no more. We’re not going to make it,” said Ellison.

She said the risk of staying closed outweighs the risk of any virus, even if it means potentially getting in trouble with law enforcement.

“The possibility of losing my license — heartbreaking. But they’ve already taken my income,” said Ellison.

She said she spoke with the Sheriff’s Office prior to the protest. She was told everything would be fine as long as men with guns are not seen on the property.
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Out of respect for law enforcement, she said she confined the men who were armed to an area in the back of her bar, which is her private property.

Video from the raid shows men with guns raising their hands in the air as officers moved in.

“I am aware of what’s going on down the road,” said Ellison. “I am shocked. I had customers come through saying, ‘You know they have SWAT built up, they have SWAT built up.’ Why would you bring in SWAT on a peaceful situation?”

https://i.imgur.com/HREEteR.jpg

Across town was another gathering. Clint Gillispie, owner of Anytime Fitness, said he was issued a citation for keeping his business open.

“If they cite me, it’s one thing, because I’m the owner,” explained Gillispie. “I am responsible for the business, but to assume that they are going to come in and start issuing citations for anybody that’s here, to me, that’s a separate violation of their first amendment rights. I feel like they’re just doing that to intimidate and harass.”

While he complied at first, he said he could not risk losing his business for good. He said Monday’s gathering is not a revolution, but a response to what he believes is unconstitutional.

“Best case scenario is we’re allowed to open, we’re allowed to survive.”

https://i.imgur.com/tongViv.jpg

Teh One Who Knocks
05-07-2020, 10:20 AM
What, the sheriff couldn't get his hands on an M1 Abrams tank for this? :facepalm:

Griffin
05-07-2020, 10:46 AM
I'm going to preface this with I've been against the shutdowns from the beginning and am grateful for my freedoms here in America and have a fondness for firearms.

I don't understand why all these "peaceful" protest occurring across America have to have a bunch of goobers standing there with ARs.
This has nothing to do with gun control or gun rights so why are they pretending like they want a fight. It's embarrassing and makes us look like fools to the rest of the planet.
That last picture in the article is.... :wha: damn.

Pony
05-07-2020, 10:57 AM
I'm going to preface this with I've been against the shutdowns from the beginning and am grateful for my freedoms here in America and have a fondness for firearms.

I don't understand why all these "peaceful" protest occurring across America have to have a bunch of goobers standing there with ARs.
This has nothing to do with gun control or gun rights so why are they pretending like they want a fight. It's embarrassing and makes us look like fools to the rest of the planet.
That last picture in the article is.... :wha: damn.

I agree with that. although I have seen a same pic used multiple times by the media. I believe the pic is from the Virginia gun protest but they are using it as a Covid pic.

Teh One Who Knocks
05-07-2020, 11:01 AM
I'm going to preface this with I've been against the shutdowns from the beginning and am grateful for my freedoms here in America and have a fondness for firearms.

I don't understand why all these "peaceful" protest occurring across America have to have a bunch of goobers standing there with ARs.
This has nothing to do with gun control or gun rights so why are they pretending like they want a fight. It's embarrassing and makes us look like fools to the rest of the planet.
That last picture in the article is.... :wha: damn.

Completely agree with the morons showing up with AR's all over the place as a "protest", but don't you think the SWAT tank was a little bit of overkill and looks more like something out of Nazi Germany than you would expect in 21st century America?

Griffin
05-07-2020, 11:06 AM
Cops definitely wanted to show who had the bigger one but why did the owner even call them and let them know "Hey, we have guns."

lost in melb.
05-07-2020, 12:06 PM
I do feel for them, but if everyone does what they want Covid will rip your country to shreds. Things need to happen stage by stage, everyone cooperating...

perrhaps
05-08-2020, 09:32 AM
I keep wondering why none of these business owners had business interruption insurance. I'm also curious if any of them applied for the emergency loans/grants.