A so-called Antifa “commander,” who reportedly was armed, dropped to the ground and began crying in the fetal position when law enforcement officers stopped him at a riot and placed him under arrest.
Matthew Banta, 23, was arrested at a riot late last week after he allegedly ignored police commands, and has been charged with “two counts of felony bail jumping and one count of obstructing an officer,” The Green Bay Press Gazette reported. “The charges stem from a report about 9 p.m. Saturday that ‘a whole bunch of white people with sticks, baseball bats, and helmets’ were headed ‘towards the police,’ who were trying to break up what they had deemed an ‘unlawful assembly’ in downtown Green Bay following a protest Saturday afternoon.”
A police officer who responded to the incident pulled in front of four individuals, three of whom ran away, but managed to catch Banta, who was carrying an antifa flag. The officer said that Banta “dropped into the fetal position and began crying.”
The criminal complaint stated:
Matthew was brought to the front of my squad, where Matthew was identified as “Commander Red” from an informational bulletin sent out through department email. Matthew is known to be a violent Antifa member who incites violence in otherwise relatively peaceful protests. As Matthew was under arrest for Resisting arrest, I began searching him incident to arrest. While searching him, I located two “military grade 5 minute” smoke grenades. I also located in his bags on his person two firework rockets that had “Apache” printed on them. Also located in the same bag a bundle of bottle rockets banded together with plastic wrap, a flamethrower with a propane tank was found inside. Medical bags containing miscellaneous medical equipment and antifa stickers, belt with pouches containing rocks. Also taken from Matthew as evidence was his […] Antifa flag, empty green bag, metal helmet, and metal scraper. Matthew stated that he was going to the protest, but denied that he was trying to incite a riot. Matthew also denied knowing that the protest was declared an unlawful assembly.
The three other individuals who ran away were later caught trying to enter someone’s home who would not let them in. The homeowner told law enforcement that they did not know the individuals.
“Banta is accused in Waupaca County of pointing a loaded gun at a police officer and biting and kicking an officer during a protest earlier this month,” WBAY-TV 2 reported. “He’s charged there with second-degree recklessly endangering safety and four other charges. He posted a $10,000 cash bond. A condition of his bond was that he can’t have a dangerous weapon, according to the Brown County district attorney’s office.”
Antifa expert Andy Ngo posted additional information about Banta on Twitter.
As suspected, Matthew Banta is a hardcore antifa militant. He goes by the online moniker "The Commander Red." Extremely disturbing that he goes to antifa protests armed w/a loaded rifle. He appears to be friends w/violent Portland antifa suspect Alex Dial aka "Beta Cuck 4 Lyfe." pic.twitter.com/6pzD9jywDP
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) August 12, 2020
More evidence of Matthew Banta’s explicit #antifa ties. He’s the militant arrested for allegedly attacking police in Wisconsin with a loaded rifle and knife at a protest. pic.twitter.com/5OeeYflOWc
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) August 12, 2020
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