A man wearing a red hat was chased and pelted with rocks at a protest in South Carolina on Saturday.
Miranda Parnell, a reporter for WIS-TV, was on the scene in Columbia when the man arrived at a protest.
“Someone just showed up in a red hat,” Parnell tweeted along with a video of the incident.
Someone just showed up in a red hat @wis10 pic.twitter.com/YTMs2YHFqi
— Miranda Parnell WIS (@miranda_parnell) May 30, 2020
Less than 10 minutes after posting the tweet, Parnell shared another video in which she said rocks were thrown, and she was struck by one in the head.
“I got hit in the head. So we’re going to have to call it a day here. But … people are still calling for justice, and they’re still hoping for change,” she said in the video, with blood running down her face.
We’re out ✌?@wis10 pic.twitter.com/PEmixzVuWo
— Miranda Parnell WIS (@miranda_parnell) May 30, 2020
In follow-up tweets, Parnell said she went to the emergency room and urged followers not to lose sight of the message of “true justice” amid flare-ups of violence.
All good! Thanks for the love! Giving you guys an update on the protest today in just a few minutes on @wis10. Then I’m going home lol. pic.twitter.com/BcRevptS7k
— Miranda Parnell WIS (@miranda_parnell) May 30, 2020
Mama and Papa P are forcing me to go home and get some rest.
But don’t let the message get lost because of some bad apples ?@wis10 #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/gQx9pmzJ6U
— Miranda Parnell WIS (@miranda_parnell) May 30, 2020
States and cities are bracing for more protests and riots that began after the death of George Floyd on Monday in Minneapolis.
Customs and Border Protection and the National Guard have deployed to some areas around the country, and certain cities have implemented curfews to help stem looting, destruction of property, and assaults.
Nearly 1,700 people have been arrested across 22 cities since Thursday, according to a tally by the Associated Press.
