Protestors take aim at ‘foreign’ Colony Ridge

LIBERTY — A group called Real Texans for Justice is setting its sights on Colony Ridge and immigration, while its allies are suggesting the development is linked to a “foreign invasion” of America.

A crowd of more than 50 including masked protestors assembled Saturday morning near the gazebo at City Hall for a rally aimed at both Colony Ridge and foreign migration. There was a police presence and no reports of any disturbances.

Meanwhile, local leaders praised the diverse ethnic makeup of Liberty County and said all properly vetted immigrants and naturalized citizens contribute to the area’s prosperity.

Real Texans for Justice, Rea made up of what appeared to be primarily out- oftowners, was joined by at least one organization which the Anti- Defamation League claims has ties to a white- supremacy movement.

That group, the Patriot Front, is a Texas- based organization led by Thomas Rousseau, who attended the event in Liberty.

In a video posted to the group’s Telegram account, Rousseau spoke about the development, calling it a real- estate scheme and resettlement trying to profit off the “foreign invasion of America.”

“ It is important that protests to this extremely significant crime against nationalism include the element of who and what Americans truly are and why the people coming here to places like Colony Ridge are unassimilable to our culture and will forever remain foreigners,” Rousseau said.

According to information distributed by Real Texans for Justice, the Anglo population in Texas has fallen from 60% to 40% in the past few decades.

“ Now that Hispanics outnumber whites in the Lone Star State, we see a shift in living standards from that of Western civilization to those of the Third World,” one pamphlet reads.

Before the rally, event organizer Mor McCarthy with Real Texans told The Vindicator the event was the first for the organization, which had only officially formed a super PAC in January.

A super PAC is an independent political action committee and can raise unlimited funds to support its cause from corporations, unions, and individuals. However, it cannot contribute to or work directly with political parties or candidates.

“ Basically, illegal immigration is an issue that’s having a particularly negative effect in Liberty County, specifically Colony Ridge,” Mc-Carthy said.

McCarthy resides in the Dallas area but said he grew concerned by what he had learned about the development, calling it “shocking.”

Colony Ridge is snowballing and comprises an estimated 60 square miles, with population estimates of over 50,000, many of those Latino immigrants.

McCarthy also addressed a recent lawsuit by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton targeting Colony Ridge and its business practices, pointing out that while he was glad to see some movement on the AG’s part, he didn’t believe it addressed what he called “real Texans.”

“ To tell you the truth right now, we see Ken Paxton bringing a suit against the developers in Colony Ridge, and we are happy to see that, but what we are seeing is that he is doing that on behalf of the illegal aliens and what we’d like to see is our attorney general take action against Colony Ridge on behalf of the citizens of Texas,” McCarthy said.

Colony Ridge developer Trey Harris has called the suit and a similar one by the Department of Justice unfounded. He believes individuals are misleading the attorney general, adding Paxton has been pressured politically, including by some with potential racist attitudes.

“I think Paxton is misinformed, and I don’t think there is any merit to his suit,” Harris previously told The Vindicator.

According to McCarthy, the county’s issues are due to a lack of justice and have had an adverse impact on residents.

“If the negative effects of Colony Ridge had been addressed earlier, then fewer people in Liberty County would have been harmed, and fewer illegal aliens would’ve been taken advantage of,” McCarthy said.

Liberty County Republican Women’s Club President Sarah Vickery did not attend the weekend rally, but she spoke to some of the organizers outside a local coffee shop on Saturday.

While she acknowledged the group raised some fair points on the issues surrounding Colony Ridge and the overall immigration situation, she also acknowledged having reservations about the spirit of the message.

“ Undoubtedly, illegal immigration is our state’s biggest threat right now and our county’s biggest problem. Locally, while we are sure that some of the population in question is indeed here illegally, the organizers of this event — according to their brochures — seem to not recognize that some of these people have legally immigrated into the United States, recognizing the value of the American dream and earning citizenship,” Vickery said.

Vickery had praise for all Liberty County residents, regardless of culture or ethnicity.

”Liberty County benefi ts greatly from the rich heritage and hard work of its naturalized citizens. These legal citizens are Texans and they are Americans. I believe it is a mistake to group any of us by color when the real issue is citizenship status,” she said.

Meanwhile, Liberty County Democrat Party Chairman Michael Mark expressed concerns about the groups taking to the streets Saturday.

“ Liberty County, and indeed Texas, is no place for white supremacist, neo-Nazi groups like the Patriot Front. We are all Americans, and we all have a voice in this country,” Mark said.

Some business owners near the gathering shared concerns about the rhetoric. Meanwhile protestors, some of them wearing masks with bandanas covering their faces, reportedly left some customers feeling intimidated.

“I was scared of them, they had masks on with white handkerchiefs. They got here chanting ‘Remember the Alamo,’” said Pat Smith of R. A. Smith’s Gift s.

Smith said she considered closing up shop during the gathering, but the group remained peaceful. She did praise the troopers from the Department of Public Safety and was happy to see them.

“ I felt safe when the DPS officers got here,” Smith said.