Throwbacks & Flashbacks

This past weekend we had us a shindig, a celebration of the birthday of Hamza 'Travis' Nagdy. Travis was one of our leaders during those long months of protests back in 2020 but in late November of that year he was shot and killed in a carjacking.

While almost all of us there were Injustice Square alumni, there was a seemingly lost college kid that showed up as well. We had a bit of fun telling him about the time the feds had us surrounded in the very same building he was sitting in. Wildest, most surreal night of my life.

Talking to the kid was a bit surreal too, he told me he'd been too young to attend the protests in 2020. With us having taught kids much younger than him how to count to Fuck 12 at the square, I was a bit curious how he figured that but I let it slide.

In the years since the protests I have discovered how ill suited words are for conveying any real sense of what it was like during that long, hot, adrenaline soaked summer. Talking with the kid just drove that point home once again.

In a way that made the celebration even more poignant, reminded me of how nice it was to again be surrounded by old comrades. Didn't make watching Travis's momma cry any easier though.

Reminiscing with other members of the Tear Gas & Flashbang Club got my brain stuck in memory lane. Thought I might as well edit some photos while I was there.

Already posted most of my photos of Travis so I ended up back on May 31, 2020, the fourth day of protests here in Louisville. I'd followed the police chopper until I found the protest and it ended up being a lively time. Only hours after these photos were taken the Kentucky National Guard shot and killed Louisville businessman David McAtee (and then left his body lying in the street for 12 hours).