PRESCOTT, AZ – At least half of the country celebrated President Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday, but others were defiant about the results.
In Prescott, a dozen people gathered on street corners outside the historic courthouse wearing ‘Not’ my President ‘signs and’ Fraud ‘t-shirts.
Less than a mile down the street, an employee at the gas station put up billboards about the “white pride month” with false allegations about President Biden.
“It’s awful. It’s disappointing. I do not know who owns the place, but I will never come back,” said Bob Pell, a resident of Prescott.
The single employee of the store was fired a few hours after she told ABC15 that she did it ‘for attention’. She said she knew there could be consequences, but the “trolling” was worth it in her mind.
She also told U-Haul she would not take down the signs. The Valley-based company thus unknowingly pulled their commitment, and all the equipment, from the Shepard Express to the owner.
“I was personally disgusted by the sign,” said Greg Mengarelli, mayor of Prescott. ‘This is not an indication of mainstream citizens here in Prescott.
It looks like more Arizonans are moving from the mainstream to the edge.
During a Black Lives Matter rally in September, extremism was in full swing on the city’s historic square.
“They probably outscored us 3 to 1,” activist Rosemary Dixon said.
The armed militia and other extremists took part in the counter-protests, some of which displayed white supremacist flags and tattoos.
“What I saw was children being spit on and being told to go home, [that] they did not belong here, [counter-protesters] curse them. ‘
“In the last year we have seen a lot of extreme groups with some extreme views. You see it all over the country,” Mayor Mengarelli said. “Everyone here in Prescott wants to be open and welcoming … And we continue to work on any of these small areas that exist. We can not control every individual.”
However, some local activists say Mayor Greg Mengarelli and the city need to do more to expose racism and those who want to banish diversity.
“We want to see some action behind these words when it comes to helping Prescott feel that it’s really inclusive to win the title of everyone’s hometown,” said Jeff Daverman, a leader with Prescott Indivisible.
“I would love to see them do a lot more,” Dixon said. “We need to see diversity and inclusion in the city’s strategic plan.”