Dressed in black combat fatigues and carrying rifles, around 200 members of the Not F*****g Around Coalition (NFAC) gathered in Louisville on Saturday. Having checked their weapons, they marched to a park just outside the Churchill Downs track, where they posed in formation, kneeled, and otherwise demonstrated their resolve to fight for racial justice.
Simultaneously, a large group of Black Lives Matter, Until Freedom and other activists also marched to track, chanting “No Justice, No Derby,” blasting the city for holding recreational and leisure “celebrations” while the country is gripped by “systemic racism.”
While rallying for the same cause, the unarmed protesters distanced themselves from NFAC, which previously made clear they “believe in violence” and were ready to use force, if necessary.
Earlier in the day, a 250-strong group of armed self-declared pro-police “Patriots” dressed in tactical gear marched downtown. Carrying US flags and chanting “USA!” and “Back the Blue!”, the group declared they were sick and tired of the chaos and anarchy across the country, and Louisville in particular.