Police arrested a man in connection to the shooting of a member of the Proud Boys during a skirmish between the right-wing group and antifa at an anti-vaccine mandate protest in Olympia, Washington.<\/p>\n
Benjamin Anthony Varela, a 36-year-old from Olympia, was arrested on Thursday on the charge of first-degree assault with a deadly weapon.<\/p>\n
THE CHURCH OF ANTI-FASCISM<\/p>\n
The clash took place on Sept. 4 when members of the left-wing militant group antifa showed up at the state Capitol to counter-protest a demonstration against vaccine mandates.<\/p>\n
The protests security included members of the Proud Boys, who chased the counter-protesters away. One of the reported antifa members shot toward the Proud Boys with a handgun, injuring member Tusitala Toese in the ankle. Toese's injury was not life-threatening, and he cooperated with the police investigation, according to local K5 News.<\/p>\n
The alleged antifa members were dressed in all-black and had their faces covered, making immediate identification difficult.<\/p>\n
Varela has numerous ties to antifa and other far-left, anarchist, and communist organizations, according to journalist Andy Ngo. Ngo said he'd been physically attacked by members of antifa several times for reporting on their activities.<\/p>\n
Though Valera deleted most of his social media accounts before he was arrested, his Twitter bio said he is a professional anarchist, thug, and paid protester.<\/p>\n
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Antifa-linked Twitter accounts implied it was one of their own who was responsible for the shooting immediately after it happened.<\/p>\n
Varela is being held in Thurston County Jail under $100,000 bail. His arraignment is set for Oct. 5.<\/p>\n
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Tags: News, Antifa, Washington, Vaccination, Gun Violence<\/p>\n
Original Author: Virginia Aabram<\/p>\n
Original Location: Man with alleged ties to antifa arrested on charges of shooting Proud Boy at anti-vaccine protest<\/p>\n
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Man with alleged ties to antifa arrested on charges of shooting Proud Boy at anti-vaccine protest - Yahoo News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Police arrested a man in connection to the shooting of a member of the Proud Boys during a skirmish between the right-wing group and antifa at an anti-vaccine mandate protest in Olympia, Washington. Benjamin Anthony Varela, a 36-year-old from Olympia, was arrested on Thursday on the charge of first-degree assault with a deadly weapon. Continue reading