They call themselves the New Mexico Civil Guard for Curry County.
Their mission: Defend citizens and their private property.
“We will not allow businesses in our community to be put through the pain we’ve seen nationwide,” their Facebook page reads.
“The protests are necessary, we fully understand that, and to an extent the violence is necessary, but we will not allow that violence to be directed at our citizens and their property.”
The group, headed up locally by painter O’Rion Petty, made itself known publicly for the first time Wednesday night on the perimeter of a “Clovis Vigil for George Floyd” gathering in Greene Acres Park.
Photos on social media show eight men, many of them heavily armed with what appear to be bullet-proof vests.
But Petty said he wants to be clear the group is here to protect peaceful people and property, not to start anything.
He said they plan to be more visible tonight when a second discussion about community racism is planned for 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Greene Acres.
“We’re not against the protesters or whatever you want to call them,” said Petty, who is the group’s captain. “We’re not there to intimidate the protesters or anything like that. We’re not with antifa. We’re there because of everything that’s going on (around the country) and we’re not going to watch our community be destroyed, if it comes to that.”
David Stevens – Eastern New Mexico News – June 4, 2020.
