The state's leading advocacy group for motorcyclists is condemning the hit-and-run that injured two people after an NAACP rally Sunday in downtown Bloomington.
ABATE of Illinois issued a statement Thursday to address what it calls "misconceptions about bikers and their intentions toward the protests."
The Galesburg-based organization pointed to Marshall R. Blanchard, 21, of Bloomington, who is accused of intentionally driving his motorcycle into a crowd of demonstrators Sunday night. He faces 17 felony counts, including commission of a hate crime.
ABATE noted that Blanchard's supporters claim "he was scared and in a bad situation." ABATE countered that "eyewitnesses and reports from the scene that say he rode around a police barricade and directly into the crowd while wearing a motorcycle club support shirt."
"His actions do not represent bikers in Illinois and go against the very ideals of individual freedoms that we hold dear," ABATE said Thursday.
The organization, which also represents off-road riders, said it has a long history of using its First Amendment rights to demonstrate and address grievances in government.
"As such, ABATE of Illinois supports the rights of citizens all over Illinois to peacefully assemble and protest," the group said.
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