# i need confirmation of a riot "story" on facebook **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2020, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-confirmation-of-a-riot-story-on-facebook/855068 "2020-06-04T20:05:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2020, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-confirmation-of-a-riot-story-on-facebook/855068/1 "2020-06-04T20:05:34Z")
My aunt keeps repeating something shes read on Facebook about supposedly there was a riot somewhere and there was a house fire and the rioters stopped the fire department from going in and a little kid died of it… I’m calling BS since I haven’t seen it anywhere else but I just wanted to see if more news aware people might have seen it … ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2020, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-confirmation-of-a-riot-story-on-facebook/855068/2 "2020-06-04T20:14:53Z")
[Partly true.](https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/police-chief-details-emotional-rescue-amid-richmond-riot) > [@](#): > > “Protesters intentionally set a fire to an occupied building on Broad Street. This is not the only occupied building that has been set fire to over the last two days. But they prohibited us from getting on scene,” Smith said. “We had to force our way to make a clear path for the fire department. Protestors intercepted that fire apparatus several blocks away with vehicles and blocked that fire department’s access to the structure fire. Inside that home was a child.” > > Smith’s voice filled with emotion as he recounted the event during a Sunday morning press conference. > > “Officers were able to help those people out of the house. We were able to get the fire department there safely,” he said before pausing to regain his composure. ”When you take a legitimate issue and hijack it for unknown reasons, that is unacceptable to me. It’s unacceptable to the Richmond Police Department and unacceptable to the City of Richmond.” ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2020, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-confirmation-of-a-riot-story-on-facebook/855068/3 "2020-06-04T20:18:35Z")
ok thanks … so it did happen but no one died… either exaggerated or my aunts reading comprehension strikes again ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-confirmation-of-a-riot-story-on-facebook/855068/4 "2020-06-05T01:58:01Z")
Running coach’s story is interesting. He quotes the police chief whose story is somewhat close to the OP’s aunt’s Facebook tale but the media sought confirmation from the Richmond Fire department, who refuted basically every point the police chief made. Protestors didn’t intentionally set the building on fire (it started as a car fire). Protestors didn’t prevent the fire department from responding (only a single protestor contributed to a delay). No vehicles were used to impede the fire truck (it was some garbage cans on fire). Officers didn’t help the child out of the fire (the child and his father had already escaped). Obviously, no child died, but the police chief didn’t say that any child had died. The OP’s aunt was just wrong about that. To the police’s credit, they seemingly helped prevent some protestors from delaying the fire truck further. However, the police chief seems to have mangled the facts beyond all recognition to demonize protestors and perhaps to justify needless violence against them. No wonder people don’t trust the cops. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2020, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-confirmation-of-a-riot-story-on-facebook/855068/5 "2020-06-05T11:34:42Z")
A woman I know was spouting off on Facebook about a protest march happening the other day in a very small town nearby. She said there was going to be looting and her and her husband were going to be waiting, “locked and loaded” and would kill anyone who tried to damage their home. That protest march took place. A friend of mine was there. He told me it was 100% peaceful. A few people made speeches, they sang some songs, people cried.