Police say they're prepared for Providence Freedom Rally after problems last time

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Police are pledging that they’re adequately prepared for a demonstration Saturday at the State House that led to confrontations and arrests the last time it took place.

The Providence Freedom Rally, hosted by a group calling itself Resist Marxism, is set to take place at the State House at noon, according to police and event organizers. Counter-protesters are also planning to be there. The state police are the lead agency in charge of keeping the peace.

“The Rhode Island State Police is aware of the rally scheduled for Saturday and will take the appropriate steps to ensure the safety of all involved,” state police spokeswoman Laura Meade Kirk said in an email, while declining to go into specifics about law-enforcement efforts.

The last time Resist Marxism rallied at the State House, counter-protesters came out in force. Some counter-protesters denounced Resist Marxism and its rally as racist and a “fascist front group.” Counter-protesters under the banner “Ocean State Against Hate” will be back out Saturday, according to social media posts.

Freedom Rally attendees denied claims that they have ties to racism or white supremacy; amid conservative memes and pro-Trump signs, the Facebook page for Resist Marxism features a crossed-out swastika as a signal of disapproval, along with a crossed-out hammer and sickle.

At the last rally, in early August, police arrested a man on a charge of assaulting a Freedom Rally attendee. Samson Racioppi, a Massachusetts man and one-time libertarian congressional candidate, said he was hit with a bike lock in the back of the neck at Providence Place mall. Alexander Carrion, a Providence resident, was accused of felony assault.

In a separate incident, another man, Andrew St. Jean, of Massachusetts, was accused of throwing horse poop -- the Providence police brought in a mounted patrol to control the crowd -- at the rally.

In police reports, authorities did not describe the specifics of the political affiliations of Carrion or St. Jean.

Providence police are also still trying to identify a person caught on video smacking a bucket and agitating a police horse at the rally.

The Providence Police Department will provide support to the state police in keeping the peace at the rally on State House grounds, while also ensuring that confrontations do not spill out onto city streets, as happened last time.

Col. Hugh T. Clements Jr. declined to go into specifics of law enforcement efforts, but said the police had learned from the last rally, as they try to learn from all large demonstrations.

“We police many large group demonstrations in the city, and on this one in particular, we feel we’re well prepared with a good plan in place,” Clements said Thursday. “The rule is pretty simple: We will allow peaceful assembly and protest, and those who break the law will be subject to arrest.”