Leon County community pushes back against White Lives Matter rally

CENTERVILLE, Texas (KBTX) - The Centerville community came together Saturday to push back against a White Lives Matter rally on the square.

A few people from that movement decided to make Leon County the site for their gathering. There were some tense and angry moments over the weekend as an out of town group gathered to rally in Downtown.

“I went over there and I seen and you know I just didn’t like the whole situation,” said Spencer Culton, who witnessed the rally and shared it on Facebook.

He and some other Leon County residents told them their message wasn’t welcome. There were words and a verbal altercation between some residents and the rally-goers.

“One of the signs said, ‘Make more white babies.’ One of them said, ‘Stop white genocide,” said Culton.

“I really don’t understand why they would even pick this town,” said Cyphurs Craig. He was also there pushing back against the protestors.

“I don’t know, don’t have a clue you know? It’s the wrong town to pick, you know what I’m saying, because everybody gets along,” said Craig.

Leon County Judge Byron Ryder said the group called ahead to let them know they’d be coming to town. Ryder said they picked Centerville because it was halfway between Houston and Dallas.

Residents said they picked the wrong town.

“It’s nothing wrong. We’re happy that you’re white like white lives, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s nothing wrong that you’re happy that you’re Black. But when you promote hate that’s where the problem comes,” said Culton.

The sheriff’s office confirms no arrests were made and the rally stayed peaceful besides the shouting. It’s unclear where the protestors were from.

“I just want to let people know that those people weren’t from Centerville. That’s not what we represent, that’s not what we stand for you know like I say in Centerville we all stick together,” said Culton.

Judge Ryder told KBTX the city couldn’t do anything to stop that gathering and infringe on the group’s First Amendment rights.

There is a Facebook Live video of the encounter here. Viewer note: There is explicit language in that video.

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