NEVADA CITY, Calif. August 10, 2020 – Sunday evening in Nevada City was marred by altercations between a group of local Black Lives Matter protesters and counter demonstrators.
Accounts on Facebook show shaky footage as maskless counter protesters shove and push people, yelling for the larger crowd to “go home.” At the same time, the sparse police presence was not actively deescalating the situation.
Several calls were logged asking for law enforcement to step in:
RP ADV THERE ARE SEVERAL AGGRESSIVE DEMONSTRATORS IN THE AREA. RP ADV THEY ARE “VIGILANTES” AND ARE HOLDING A FLAG AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE VIOLENT. RP DISCONNECTED. ***** EVENT CLOSED BY CAD4 WITH COMMENT-2008090224
LOCATION: COMMERCIAL/ BROAD COMMENTS: RP ADV THERE ARE SEVERAL AGGRESSIVE DEMONSTRATORS IN THE AREA. RP ADV THEY ARE “VIGILANTES” AND ARE HOLDING A FLAG AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE VIOLENT. RP DISCONNECTED.
[CAD4/3927 08/09/20 18:57:19] RP CALLING ON 911, ADV “TRUMP ” SUPPORTERS ARE STARTING TO INSTIGATE FIGHTS. RP IS NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF PINE/BROAD. RP ADV THEY ARE VERY INTIMIDATING.
[CAD1/3753 08/09/20 19:14:36] 10-39 CHP
[CAD1/3753 08/09/20 19:32:48] RP CALLED IN THAT THREE “SKINHEADS” ARE TRYING TO START A FIGHT ON COMMERCIAL ST BY FRIAR TUCKS HEADING UP THE HILL.
[CAD1/3753 08/09/20 19:36:26] OWNER OF 11 KITCHEN ADVISES THE SUSPECTS ARE PUSHING PEOPLE AROUND. THEY ARE BY CRUMB BUNNY. [CAD1/3753 08/09/20 19:38:38] 911 CALLER REPORTS PEOPLE WITH AMERICAN FLAGS ARE FIGHTING WITH THE PEACEFUL BLM PROTESTERS UP FROM SOPA THAI.
[CAD3/4074 08/09/20 20:06:40] RP BACK LL STATING THERE NEEDS TO BE LE PRESENCE. RP STATES THERE ARE SUBJ’S BEING AGGRESSIVE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET BEING INTIMIDATING. RP IS UPSET THAT LE IS NOT THERE. RP BECAME UPSET WITH DISPATCH FOR “REFUSING TO SEND LE” AND DISCONNECTED.
Nevada City Police Chief Chad Ellis or the City of Nevada City have not yet released a statement on the incident, however an investigation is underway.
“The Nevada City Police Department is requesting that anyone with video of assaults that occurred last evening in Nevada City please send their video to Lt. Rohde at paul.rohde@nevadacityca.gov
If you were assaulted, please fill out and attach to your email a copy of a citizen complaint form and photos of any bruises, contusions, etc.
If you received medical attention for injuries, please provide attending physician information.
This is a small police agency without the resources to respond with an officer to all of the assault reports. Investigations are ongoing.”
Statement by Lt. Rohde
We requested the body camera footage of all the officers present, Chief Ellis said in an email he would release it once he had time to download and review it.
This is the first direct physical confrontation in Nevada City between demonstrators.
On Saturday night, Jace Samuel Manoguerra, a 21-year old Grass Valley resident, was arrested for firing at people attending the Back-the-Blue rally at the corner of Neal St and South Auburn St. Officers determined that the suspect shot at the crowd from a passing vehicle with an air-soft rifle. Manoguerra is facing a felony charge for assault.
The City of Grass Valley issued a statement which reads, in part, “The City of Grass Valley, our City Council, and its respective departments are committed to providing a safe place for people to work, live, visit, and thrive. The City of Grass Valley will, at every opportunity, do its best to provide people with safe places to exercise their 1st Amendment right to peaceably assemble. In addition, the City is resolute in its commitment to prevent altercations between people based upon opposing thought, or even worse, out of hatred for people not known to one another. We must first respect each person for the humanity we share. We respectfully ask that anyone wishing to hold an event in alignment with the 1st Amendment reach out to us so that we can help facilitate your rights in a safe, lawful, and respectful manner.“
August 10, 2020 at 10:08 PM Update: Nevada City Police Chief Chad Ellis has issued a statement.