Armed with two guns, Johnson County official says he was ‘protecting’ protesters
In the Johnson County city of Gardner, more than 150 people protested police killings of black Americans on Saturday. And outside City Hall, City Councilman Rich Melton stood watching, holding an AR-15 pistol and wearing a tactical vest packed with ammunition.
Some assumed Melton was there as a counter-protester. But he told The Star on Monday that he came armed to “protect protesters.”
“If people are afraid of the police, they’ve got to know somebody is there protecting them. How are you going to deal with it if something happens and only the police have guns?” he said. “I told them I’m just a citizen here to protect your First Amendment right. I’m a huge fan of freedom. It was all about freedom.”
An organizer of the event, Holly Snyder, said his choice to wear both the AR-15 and a Glock 22 had the opposite effect. She said some protesters told Melton they “did not feel safe around him.”
“Organizers made it clear that the police and organizers were partnering from the beginning stage of planning. Melton’s protection was not needed or wanted,” Snyder said.
Black Lives Matter demonstrations have been held across the Kansas City metro this past week as thousands fight for police reform and an end to racially charged police brutality. Recent protests were sparked by the death of George Floyd, who was killed in police custody, beneath the knee of a Minneapolis officer.
In the first days of protests in Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza, police officers made 230 arrests, and deployed tear gas and pepper spray when demonstrators stepped off of the curb and onto the street. The police department later changed its approach and, rather than facing protesters in riot gear, opened streets so demonstrators could march.
Smaller demonstrations have been held across Johnson County, including in Olathe, Shawnee and Overland Park.
In Gardner, organizers said they worked with the police department to plan a peaceful protest. Saturday morning, between 150 and 200 nonviolent protesters gathered on the steps of City Hall, said Police Chief James Belcher. They then marched around the city and ended at Cornerstone Park.
“Our officers had positive interactions with all of the protesters throughout the event. We provided water and engaged in constructive dialogue, listening to their ideas and experiences,” Belcher said.
But some protesters said they were afraid when they noticed Melton standing among the group at City Hall, carrying guns. His appearance led to a contentious debate between residents.
“Councilman Rich Melton has been praised for exercising his legal right to bear arms but has also been criticized by others. I do think his appearance with (guns) was a distraction for some, including police officers stationed at City Hall,” said resident Larry Byers, who photographed the rally.
While some celebrated his choice, Snyder and others argued that Melton’s actions were unnecessary and intimidating.
“Every citizen has a right to bear arms. No question. I’m not arguing that,” Snyder said. “Is it good for Gardner to have a City Council member wear a tactical vest and bring a big gun with a shoulder strap to a peaceful protest? Maybe. But when the citizens of your town ask you repeatedly to leave and you don’t listen, that’s rude. Some would call it bullying.”
Snyder said organizers notified the police that he was armed, especially because there were children in the crowd. But Belcher said no formal complaints were filed.
“We were not aware that he would be attending the protest. Just as we would with anyone exercising their constitutional rights, we had officers in place to keep the law in order and ensure the safety of all,” Belcher said.
Despite saying he felt that protesters needed to be protected from the police, Melton did not criticize the Gardner Police Department. Instead, he promoted the Citizens Police Advisory Committee, which he is a member of, and said they frequently listen to the community’s concerns about law enforcement actions.
Melton, who serves as City Council vice president, works in real estate and owns a company, Cover 6 Gear, which manufactures concealed carry holsters. Melton has made headlines on local media outlets before, including in 2018, when he offered a 50% discount on gun holsters to any school employee, after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. He also came under criticism the year before that for posting a meme on Facebook that many argued was racist.
On Monday, Melton said he supported the Black Lives Matter protesters, even if he doesn’t always align with their political beliefs.
“I am against racism in any form,” Melton said. “There are things that happen with the police that everybody can see are wrong, and it needs to stop. In Minneapolis, I was happy to see that the officer got fired and arrested. It was so blatantly obvious what was wrong with that situation. I don’t know if that was racist or not, but we can all be for treating people in the best way possible.”
Snyder said she helped organize the protest in Gardner because many changes are needed in the southwestern Johnson County town.
“There are Confederate flags flying in my town. … Minorities are getting spit on while walking their dogs and then told it didn’t happen and racism doesn’t exist,” she said.
She worries that Melton’s appearance took away from the message of the protest.
“I fear the more publicity Melton receives, the more venerated he will become by those who confuse racism with patriotism,” she said.
Across Johnson County, some elected officials are calling for changes to police procedures and government officials’ interactions with black residents and people of color. At last week’s Johnson County Board of Commissioners meeting, for example, Commissioners Janeé Hanzlick and Becky Fast called on the county to improve community relations.
Hanzlick pushed for elected officials, black activists and residents, plus community and faith leaders to meet and discuss changes that should be implemented in the county.
“A county that is named after a slaveholder, a county that was built as a haven for white people, a county that still struggles to remove discriminatory language from neighborhood covenants, and a county that is seeing the rapid growth in diverse populations. As much as we’d like to, we can’t deny that Johnson County has benefited from historic racial injustice — and continues to do so,” she said.
This story was originally published June 8, 2020 at 5:35 PM.
