AUSTIN, Texas — Hundreds of protestors and counter-protestors gathered at the Texas State Capitol on Saturday regarding the National March Against Far-Left Violence.
The groups at the event included the Democratic Socialists America, Antifa and Texans United for America, according to KVUE media partner, The Austin American-Statesman. The march sparked a large police presence to the Capitol to supervise the event. During the protest, police officers in riot gear showed up to keep the opposing groups separated.
WATCH THE PROTEST HERE:
The protest at the Capitol was a result of conservative groups marching down Congress Avenue in support of First Amendment rights to free speech and in protest of violence that occurred last month in Portland, Ore., at a far-right rally.
KVUE's Hank Cavagnaro caught the protest in the midst of it all.
For those protesting, they each had their own reasons. A member of the 3% XXXXXXXX who goes by the name "Tunnel" told KVUE that he is a constitutionalist and was out there to protect people's right.
"They have as much right to free speech as we do. They just believe that we're something that we're not," said Tunnel. "We don't care about who you sleep with who you marry when it comes down to it we're for the protection of constitutional rights for every citizen."
But another protester, Jill Mitchell, had another view on the free speech. She told KVUE she is an anti-fascist that has been protesting for around 50 years.
"I want not to shut down the rights free speech. They have a perfect right as much right as I have to their free speech," said Mitchell. "That doesn't give them the right to any given platform."
The protests lasted close to five hours. One man was arrested by DPS on a charge of possession of a prohibited weapon while he was trying to enter the State Capitol with "knuckles," officials said. Police said another person was briefly detained for safety reasons, but that person was released after being escorted off the State Capitol grounds.