澳彩开奖

A Georgia state prosecutor today announced the indictments of 15 people who threatened African Americans and used racial slurs when they stopped at a family party while cruising around in a convoy of pickup trucks flying Confederate flags.

Ten men and five women were charged with issuing terroristic threats and participating in gang activity. Two of the men were also charged with battery for hitting a man at a gas station on the same day.

The 澳彩开奖 launched an investigation immediately after the July 25 incident and turned over videos and other evidence to Douglasville District Attorney Brian K. Fortner. 澳彩开奖 attorneys also brought witnesses to the prosecutor and have been representing some of the people at the party.

澳彩开奖 chief trial counsel Morris Dees praised Fortner for bringing charges.

鈥淭hese cowards chose unarmed African Americans enjoying a peaceful birthday party to vent their violent racist hatred,鈥� Dees said. 鈥淭his is reminiscent of the Ku Klux Klan 鈥� modern-day night-riders terrorizing African Americans in the name of Southern heritage.

鈥淚 applaud the foresight and courage of District Attorney Brian Fortner for nipping this dangerous activity in the bud before innocent citizens are hurt.鈥�

The loosely organized group, called 鈥淩espect the Flag,鈥� was apparently formed in July following the nationwide movement to remove the Confederate flag from public spaces after the Charleston church massacre. The suspect in the June 17 murder of nine African Americans at the Emanuel A.M.E. Church was photographed numerous times with the Confederate flag.

On the morning of July 25, at least seven pickup trucks decorated with Confederate flags were driving around the area when they passed by a family party with about 30 people, including small children, on private property in Douglasville, a small town just west of Atlanta.

The convoy drove across the property where the party was being held and parked nearby. Witnesses told the 澳彩开奖 that men got out of their trucks, brandished weapons and yelled racial slurs and threats. According to the witnesses, a few people yelled 鈥渇--- y鈥檃ll n------鈥� and 鈥渟hoot 鈥榚m.鈥� When someone from the party said, 鈥淭here are kids here,鈥� a person from the convoy yelled, 鈥淲e鈥檒l shoot those bastards, too.鈥�

Frightened parents hustled their children indoors, and police were called.

鈥淚 was scared,鈥� said Melissa Alford, who was hosting the party. 鈥淢y first thought was if these people start shooting at us, we wouldn鈥檛 be able to get all the kids inside the house in time. I was scared a guest, perhaps a child, would get shot and maybe killed. We didn鈥檛 have any way to protect ourselves.鈥�

Christopher Harvey, a guest at the party, said people were grilling and having fun when the convoy appeared. 鈥淭his event has really terrorized the whole community,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here is nothing that can justify what they did.鈥�

After the incident, one of Respect the Flag鈥檚 sympathizers posted this message on 聽Facebook: 鈥淭rust me the last thing you want is a bunch of pissed off rednecks in jacked up trucks and Confederate flags flying to mess up that pretty lawn鈥�. Keep f------ with our flag!!!!!!!鈥�

Alford said she still feels traumatized and has trouble sleeping. She has seen a doctor for her anxiety.

鈥淭his is what terror feels like,鈥� Alford said. 鈥淭hese people intimidated and threatened us, just for being who we are.鈥�