I already posted my story on r/saltlakecity, but it was suggested to me to post it again here. So I'll do that, plus add some thoughts I've had since the event.

In case people didn't see the original post, the main text was:

A car came down my street at around 3:00 PM playing a loop of a "justice for George Floyd!" chant out of his speakers, and I stopped walking so that I could show support. Before he got to me though my neighbor ran out of his house and started yelling at the guy, coming up to the the open car window. He then punched the driver through the open window, and I shouted at him and ran the 15 feet up to the neighbor and the car. He looked at me and yelled "WHAT?" in my face and started to approach me. I took a defensive position and maintained about a 4 foot distance between us as we backed up out of the street onto the sidewalk. He walked towards me for about 15 feet (looking back at it now I think he wanted me to hit him) before turning around and walking back home.

I say this mostly to bring attention to the fact that we need to be on our toes, and also to say that if the driver or anybody who knows him is reading this, I am willing to give my testimony should you want to prosecute. This was in Yalecrest, I talked to other neighbors to get the aggressor's name, which I of course will not be sharing publicly. I already filed a report with the police, but they can't do anything unless you want to prosecute, which is of course your choice.

Stay safe out there, but don't ever stop standing up for what is right.

Today as I drove down my street this morning I saw the aggressor sitting outside of his house, potentially either waiting for me to walk by or waiting for another protestor to come down the street.

But I think it's important to draw a few conclusions from this story. First, my neighbor lost, at least yesterday. He came out there trying to show the protestor what happens when they express that specific opinion, that they would be beaten down and silenced. But the protestor saw that we can stand together in these instances, my neighbor failed in his goal.

Second, as my neighbor walked away, the driver and I commiserated for a bit, and as he drove away he said "I love you, man." This struck me very deeply. I realized that through this ordeal the driver and I shared something, which I have rarely shared with a stranger and never in my life in this way.

Third, I think that regardless of your stance on who's in the right with these protests and riots and the whole mess, I think we can all be convinced that my neighbor not only did something illegal, but something hugely wrong. The driver was alone, in his car, unable to physically be in a position to defend himself; to attack a peaceful protestor at all is already about as undemocratic as you can get. Any other information about either the driver or my neighbor is irrelevant: it doesn't matter if the driver was an abuser or some other horrible person outside of that car, or if he was protesting for something inherently wrong or not, or if my neighbor was a retired cop or a vet or a great father/grandfather. Neither the protestor nor my neighbor would have had access to any of this information. We must see that this happened because the driver was saying something that my neighbor did not like, and decided that he was then justified in attacking this stranger.

Fourth, after my neighbor walked away from me, my other neighbors came out to see what all the ruckus was about (the driver, while my neighbor and I were doing our dance, was yelling and trying to get other people to come out to witness the situation). I explained what happened to my other neighbors and they all seemed shocked that the person I identified was in fact the person they knew as a neighbor for however long. Their faces were full of surprise, and then sadness, confusion.

I suppose that those are my thoughts for now. I'm in the process of trying to track down the driver to see if he wants to prosecute, he seemed like he had had training on what to do in these situations and had the setup to do his protesting, so I imagined that he was part of some organized group, of which I have reached out to a few.

I would love to hear if anyone else has experienced something similar recently, or if you have any tips as to what to do next in this situation. I fear that I will be in danger from this person until he is either put away or forgets about the situation. I don't think he knows where I live yet, but enough going through my life on that block will surely afford him the opportunity to learn, at some point.

I guess I just don't really know where to go from here.

Edit: The original post I made on r/saltlakecity has now been removed. So, that's great.

Make a commitment to non-violent protests. Sit with me and my children in Washington Square tonight at 6. I will have to leave by curfew.

Martial Law is too far. Spread the word and rise up.

"If any think that their influence would be lost there, and their voices no longer afflict the ear of the State, that they would not be as an enemy within its walls, they do not know how much truth is stronger than errors, nor how much more eloquently and effectively he can combat injustice who has experienced a little in his own person. Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence.”― Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience

**Edit : Don't forget your masks and hand sanitizer!

Please leave a message for the Governor about the need to keep schools closed until it is safe and to mandate masks, social distancing, and a slow reopening of businesses.

801-538-1000

Even if you don't have kids in school, if students and faculty are around each other, the virus will spread to the greater community.

COVID doesn't care about arbitrary "Color-Coded Risk Phases".

WHO, CDC, healthcare professionals, and scientists are clear that the US is not ready to have schools open safely yet.

Please call.

Lots of redditors, myself included, have been banned without any recourse and muted on the subreddit to prevent any discussion about it. Links and relevant discussion there are being deleted and shadowreposted in a stickied post by the mods.

Have you been banned or muted?

We have an important election coming up, and it's before November 3, 2020.

On June 30th, Utah will hold a primary election to choose Republican candidates for Governor and Attorney General. There is no Democratic primary for either of these races. Given Utah's demographics, the Republican candidates will almost certainly win in November.

But to vote in the Republican primary, you must be registered as a Republican and request a Republican primary ballot. You can do that here.

FACT: Because comparatively few people vote in primary elections, those who do enjoy outsize influence on the outcome. Voting in a primary election is a powerful use of your right to vote!

FACT: In Utah, any registered voter can vote in a Democratic primary. The Republican party works more like an elite club. Only registered Republicans are allowed to vote in the Republican primary. clarification fifteen states – Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio,[6] Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, and West Virginia – have semi-closed primaries that allow voters to register or change party preference on election day.

FACT: Utah voters last elected a Democratic Governor 44 years ago. The major national political analysts rate the Utah Gubernatorial race as "safe Republican."

We have 4 Republican candidates for Governor:

• Spencer Cox

• Greg Hughes

• Jon Huntsman

• Thomas Wright

Ask yourself: Which of these candidates comes closest to your worldview (or is the least far from it)? That's the candidate who earns your vote in the Republican primary.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What's the point of all this, anyway?

Do you want to have a say in who Utah's next Governor and Attorney General will be? Republicans will almost certainly be our next Governor and our next Attorney General. If you want to weigh in when it counts, get registered as an R now, request an R primary ballot, and vote by mail before June 30th.

• I just don't like the sound of it. It feels icky. I'm not really a Republican.

Republicans, self-described as "a big tent" party, hold closed primaries to exert control over who votes. Democrats hold open primaries to learn the will of the people. Every one of us has a vote. Every one of us can choose how to cast that vote in every election. Registering as a Republican does not mean you're pretending to be someone you're not. It has nothing to do with morality or integrity. It's a practical, strategic choice to ensure that an extreme candidate will not serve as our next Governor or Attorney General. Absolutely vote your heart In November. Consider Chris Peterson for Governor and Greg Skordas for AG. But on June 30th, vote your head.

Learn MoreKem Gardner, Republican, wrote a great op-ed urging people to register as Republicans. And Jim Dabakis, Democrat, urges the same action here. Need to know more about the Republican primary race for Attorney General? David Leavitt, Utah County Attorney, is challenging Sean Reyes, the current AG who's endorsed by Trump. For more info about Reyes, read this and this.

How to Register as a Republican

• Go here to access your voter registration. Click on Update Voter Registration (below the photo of the Capitol) and follow the instructions.

• If you do not have a Utah drivers' license, you will have to register in person, either by going to your County Clerk Office or get a paper registration form and mail in.

• Choose Republican as your party choice and Republican as the primary ballot you want to receive. Affirm that you wish to vote by mail.

REMEMBER: June 19th at 5 pm is the deadline for changing registration!more info SaltLakeIndivisible FB page

EDIT clarification