Four militant white supremacists were charged Monday for their connection to a domestic terror act targeting Black Lives Matter protesters who were demanding accountability for racist police brutality in Minneapolis last week.
Minnesota prosecutors filed felony charges against the four white supremacists, including Allen Scarsella, who has been charged with one count of second-degree rioting for shooting at five protesters, as well as five counts of second-degree assault.
The other men, Joseph Backman, Nathan Gustavsson and Daniel Macey have each been charged with second-degree rioting.
Five Black Lives Matter activists demonstrating outside the Minneapolis police department over the police shooting of unarmed Jamar Clark were attacked on Nov. 23 by the group of white supremacists.
Eyewitnesses from social media reported that police took between 10-15 minutes to respond to the attack, which took place near a local police station. When they arrived, they were dressed in full riot-gear and aggressively pushed back the crowd, using pepper spray on the protesters. The Nation reported that some officers allegedly told the protesters, “this is what you wanted, this is what you asked for.”
The five injured protesters were taken to the hospital and one underwent surgery.
ANALYSIS: After #Justice4Jamar Terror Attack: Do Black Voices Matter?
Before the attack, Black Lives Matter Minneapolis had warned of militant white supremacist threats, but received little support from police and local authorities.
On their official Facebook page prior to the attack, the group had reported a threatening video, in which two armed, masked men can be heard saying they will head to the protest for “a little reverse cultural enriching.”
Scarsella was identified as one of the two masked men in the video, which featured a logo reading “stay white.”
News of the charges was received with frustration by the Black Lives Matter branch in Minneapolis, who said they should have been charged with attempted murder, hate crime or domestic terrorism.
“Recent armed terror attacks against our encampment,” the group’s Facebook page read, “are the most recent examples of #WhiteTerrorism, which is far more common and more deadly than any foreign threat.”
Under the slogan #WeChargeTerrorism, the movement has invited supporters to utilize social media in order to mount pressure on the attorney to impose stricter charges on the culprits.
The Black Lives Matter protesters have also warned of a growing suspicion that the police will raid their encampment later on Monday.
Freeman charged 4 armed white supremacists who shot 5 @ #4thPrecinctShutDown w riot & assault. #WeChargeTerrorism. pic.twitter.com/gYKEv7Ht6x
— Black Lives MPLS (@BlackLivesMpls)
November 30, 2015