About 20 members of a “White Lives Matter” group protested outside the NAACP in Houston's 3rd Ward Sunday, calling out what they said was the civil rights organization’s failure to speak out against pro-black organizations like Black Lives Matter, SFGate reports.
"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," protester Ken Reed told the news site. "If they're going to be a civil rights organization and defend their people, they also need to hold their people accountable."
Members of the “White Lives Matter” group carried Confederate flags and held assault rifles, as well as "White Lives Matter" signs.
"We're not out here to instigate or start any problems," Reed added. "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."
Some area residents, according to SFGate, were taken aback by the Confederate flags and weapons that the group carried.
"The Confederate flag throws me off," Quintina 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?"
Reed claimed that the flags were a symbol of Southern heritage and had nothing to do with racism.
"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."
According to the report, police began to clear the crowd of “White Lives Matter” supporters at about 3:30 p.m. The last group to leave the area was a group of black and white residents who gathered to pray together in the parking lot of a church near the NAACP building.
Read more at SFGate.