Matthew Banta of Neenah, WI - who is "known to be an Antifa member who incites violence in otherwise relatively peaceful protests," was one of four individuals walking towards a protest with baseball bats, according to
ABC2.
A responding Green Bay officer says he saw four individuals walking towards a protest with baseball bats. One man was wearing
a metal helmet with goggles and military-style gear with multiple pouches, and was carrying an
Antifa flag. When the officer pulled his squad car in front of the group, they ran away.
The officer caught Banta, who was carrying the flag, and says Banta “dropped into the fetal position and began crying.” He accused the officer of laying on him; the officer replied nobody was on him.
Banta claims he wasn't planning to incite a riot (with his flamethrower, smoke grenade and fireworks).
The three other individuals Banta was with were caught
trying to break into a house. When officers apprehended them, they dropped what they were carrying, with one of them telling the police that they were simply bringing items for self-defense.
Last month, Banta was charged in Waupaca County with second-degree recklessly endangering safety
and four other charges for pointing a loaded gun at a police officer, and biting and kicking another.