"White Lives Matter" Protest Emerges Outside Of A Houston NAACP Office

A group of more than 20 white supremacists, armed with rifles and Confederate flags, gathered outside of an NAACP office in Houston's Third Ward yesterday afternoon as part of a "White Lives Matter" protest. 

"We came out here to protest against the NAACP and their failure in speaking out against the atrocities that organizations like Black Lives Matter and other pro-black organizations have caused the attack and killing of white police officers, the burning down of cities and things of that nature," White Lives Matter member Ken Reed said. "If they're going to be a civil rights organization and defend their people, they also need to hold their people accountable."

"We're not out here to instigate or start any problems," Reed said. "Obviously we're exercising our Second Amendment rights but that's because we have to defend ourselves. Their organizations and their people are shooting people based on the color of their skin. We're not. We definitely will defend ourselves, but we're not out here to start any problems."

According to the Houston Chronicle, the group held signs that read "14 words," which is a popular white supremacist slogan: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children." Police began clearing out the "White Lives Matter" group at around 3:30 pm, while other crowds of black and white people joined in a prayer across the street from the protest.

One resident, Quintina Richardson called out the group for flying the Confederate flag in the Third Ward, a predominately black neighborhood.

"That's a bold statement," resident Quintina Richardson said. "You come into their home, front door, and say 'hey!' You've got some nerve."

"The Conferderate flag throws me off," Richardson said. "You're saying Black Lives Matter is a racist organization but when you're throwing the Confederate flag up and saying White Lives Matter, are you saying you're racist?"

"It has nothing to do with racism on our part," Reed said. "We're proud to be Southern. It has all to do about heritage, nothing to do with hate."

Some activists, including the son of the NAACP's Houston director Yolanda Smith, posted images and video of the protest on social media, which you can check out below. 

[Via]