According to the UK’s Daily Mail, a number of groups considered too extreme by event organizers were denied participation in a trucker protest held in Texas over the weekend. The purpose of this protest was to exert pressure on President Joe Biden to reintroduce stricter immigration and border control policies. These groups were refused entry to the Quemado, Texas, ranch where the protest was originally planned to occur on Friday.
“A group of so-called street preachers holding signs that read, ‘BLM are racist thugs,’ and ‘AIDS: Judgement or Cure’ were outraged after they were denied entry to the Cornerstone Children’s Ranch,” the outlet reported.
“You’re worse than Democrats,” yelled a man named Jim through a megaphone from across the street, the outlet said. “I’ve personally been to over 25 Trump rallies and never had a reaction like this.”
According to the outlet, Jim was continuously interrupted by another protester who persistently honked his vehicle horn, in an effort to silence him. Eventually, law enforcement officers arrived at the scene to mediate the situation.
“We came here thinking we might make some friends, but I guess our Christianity doesn’t mesh with whatever they’re trying to do here,” Jesse Morrell from Open Air Outreach told DailyMail.com.
'Take Back Our Border' convoy arrives in Texas: 'We want our nation saved'https://t.co/DONqLSGSZi
A strong grass roots protest by truckers shows us American freedom of speech is peaceful. Remember BLM riots— Mitch (@MitchKC18) February 3, 2024
TX: The “Gods Army” convoy arrived to the Cornerstone Children’s ranch in Quemado, Texas—About 20 miles outside of Eagle Pass—But still directly on the border.
The Kinney County Sheriff tells me around 300 vehicles in all were in the convoy—He says he shut down the roadway and… pic.twitter.com/J9s7OvRgHj
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) February 3, 2024
The event organizers clarified that they had to exercise utmost caution in determining the individuals granted access to the premises.
“The convoy has been traveling across the country; they’re very tired. They’ve been dealing with a lot of criticism, threats, making them look like January 6ers,” Mike Forzano of the group Exiled Patriots, the group providing security for the convoy, explained.
“We’re not about confrontation here. If you’re about confrontation, you’re not coming in. To remain peaceful, we have to have peaceful people,” he added.
“No guns, no alcohol, no drugs, no offensive things– we don’t want that,” he noted further. “There are people who are on a list to not be allowed. Those people are people who have threatened the government, threatened us, threatened people, maybe a little bit wild, or maybe criminal record– they’re not allowed.”
All media outlets were given access EXCEPT CNN, who were deemed “the only ones who don’t give anyone a fair shot.”
The Daily Mail added:
“The organizers for the ‘Take our Border Back’ convoy have repeatedly stated they want their event to be peaceful, and are concerned they will be blamed for the actions of others acting alone.
“They’re gathering to support Texas’ recent actions to defy federal law and seize a park in Eagle Pass, after accusing the Biden Administration of not doing enough to secure the border. “