“As the state meets further resistance it will continue to deputize its vigilante counterparts to carry out deadly violence. We must rise up against this threat and oppose both wings of white supremacy,” wrote MATCH in a statement about the protest.

On Sunday evening around eighty people, members of MATCH (Making Abolition Through Collective Humanity) and allies, marched from Central High School to the Providence Public Safety Complex in Providence “in solidarity with Kenosha [and] against the fascist cops and their vigilante counterparts.”

Uprise RI reporter Will James live streamed the event:

After Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot in the back seven times and paralyzed by Kenosha Police in Wisconsin, protests erupted in the city. During the protests against the near killing of yet another Black person at the hands of the police, counter protesters, including white supremacist militias and Trump supporters, came to the city. One of them, a 17-year old white male from Illinois, apparently shot at least three people, killing two.

“As the state meets further resistance it will continue to deputize its vigilante counterparts to carry out deadly violence. We must rise up against this threat and oppose both wings of white supremacy,” wrote MATCH in a statement about the protest.

The protesters, wearing black and wearing masks to prevent the spread of Covid, used large black shields – plywood painted black – to block the cameras of some media just before the march got under way.

Happening now : protesters are blocking camera views as they begin a a direct “Kenosha solidarity direct action march justice for Jacob”. The plan is for them to march to the police department. @NBC10 pic.twitter.com/Z5yrQsbaLE

— Connor Cyrus (@NBC10_Connor) August 31, 2020

The protesters then marched to the Public Safety Complex and after looping around the block, were met by a line of police officers in riot gear carrying wooden sticks and other weapons. At least four officers could be seen in army style camouflage bearing what looked like automatic weapons.

Protesters and police stood face to face for about an hour. Protesters chanted and sang while the police were mostly silent, occasionally flashing strobe lights at cameras. At one point a person was pulled from the line and arrested with shouts of “Let me see your hands!” The person was escorted into the Public Safety Complex and their dog was turned over to animal control.

In speaking with other protesters, it’s clear that the person arrested was not with MATCH and it is unclear what the person did to trigger the arrest.

Other than the police arresting one person, the event was entirely peaceful.