Facebook shuts down page of armed Utah group that attends anti-police protests

A man affiliated with Utah Citizens’ Alarm who declined to give his name holds a rifle while standing with counterprotesters as Black Lives Matter Utah holds a protest outside of the Cottonwood Heights Police Department on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News

Utah Citizens’ Alarm says it will continue to coordinate via its own website

SALT LAKE CITY — An armed Utah group formed as a response to protests against police says its Facebook page has been shut down.

Utah Citizens’ Alarm founder Casey Robertson said Wednesday his group is one of about 900 whose pages were removed as part of a broader sweep by the social media platform.

“This is definitely a setback,” he said in a video on the group’s website. “Unfortunately, we weren’t 100% prepared, but we will just continue to move forward.”

Robertson founded the pro-police group as a response to a July protest in Provo where authorities say a demonstrator shot an SUV driver as the vehicle pushed through protesters who surrounded it in a crosswalk. The driver was struck in the arm.

Robertson has said the group supports First Amendment rights but opposes violent or destructive behavior.

Dozens of the militia’s members sporting tactical gear and rifles have faced off against those protesting police in Salt Lake City, Provo and Cottonwood Heights.

Robertson said Wednesday the group with thousands of members will continue coordinating on its website after Facebook took down its page and those of its administrators.

“This isn’t going to stop us. Not even close,” he said. “It’s going to just make us stronger.”

Robertson and Facebook did not respond to messages Thursday.

Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah, said on Facebook the group’s page is down “because they are terrorists. They incite violence. They threaten us daily. And God loves Black people.”

Demonstrators at an Aug. 7 rally in Cottonwood Heights said a man who was recording video and talking with members of Utah Citizens’ Alarm was then maced by one of those with the group.

Cottonwood Heights Police Lt. Dan Bartlett said Thursday he anticipates the man recording part of the encounter to face a criminal charge for allegedly pushing the man who police believe maced him in self-defense.

“It’s not going to go the way people think,” Bartlett said.

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