POUGHKEEPSIE – A clash between a group supporting black lives and a counter-rally supporting police last Saturday was instigated by the Dutchess County Conservative Party, Kevin Halcott, the co-organizer of the rally for black lives said on Monday.
He charged that supporters of the black lives movement were “violently assaulted by the racists conservative party of Dutchess County.”
But, Conservative Chairman Donald Minichino disputed that allegation.
“I’m am against that kind of talk because the propaganda machine is working quite well for that group. It is pretty common after anything they do, they throw a propaganda machine into this and just section people out and go after them,” he said. “We are not racist. We never have been. We are pro-cop and anti-socialism.”
Videos recorded in Pleasant Valley last weekend show confrontations between members of both groups, which Minichino said he did not condone.
He said it should not be inferred that his organization sponsored the counter-rally because he mentioned it on Facebook under a “host” comment.
