State Police clear State House lawn of protests after fights break out

WPRO News and the Associated Press

(Providence) The Rhode Island State Police, clad in riot gear, cleared the State House lawn following another confrontation between two groups, Resist Marxism and Ocean State Against Hate on Saturday afternoon.

About 60 supporters of Resist Marxism faced off with about 150 counter-protesters who organized under the banner “Ocean State Against Hate” and chanted “Nazis go Home.”

A brief scuffle broke out during the protest and counter protest in which a fire extinguisher was discharged. A trooper who was hit by the propellant was unhurt. Police say they\’re looking for a suspect who sprayed the extinguisher.

A spokeswoman for the State Police says no one was arrested and no serious injuries were reported in the demonstration which was broken up after about an hour. A State Police speaker had warned that demonstrators would be arrested if they didn\’t leave the State House grounds.

\”We do not want fascism in Providence, we do not want fascism in Rhode Island and you are not welcome here,\” said Lesley Bunnell, a member of the Ocean State Against Hate Coalition. The Resist Marxist group billed the event as the Providence Freedom Rally.

The two groups were involved in a confrontation back in August which resulted in injuries and arrests. There was a large police presence to insure both sides were kept apart. About 200 people took part in the demonstration, which again featured a much larger gathering of counter protestors.

Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Department of Public Safety, said:

“The Rhode Island State Police, in conjunction with the Providence Police, Capitol Police, Division of Sheriffs and the Disaster Management Assistance Team, had a contingency plan in place based upon the events that occurred during a similar rally on August 4, 2018,” Colonel Assumpico said. “We are pleased to report that both sides were provided a safe venue in which to make their opinions known without major incident, and they dispersed peacefully after being asked to do so.”