Pseudo patriots came out to the battlefield to fight antifa based on an internet rumor spread by a fake antifa Twitter account. So this was already funny to begin with!

This story was updated to include the name of the person who shot himself.

GETTYSBURG, PA – The rumor that antifa were coming to Gettysburg National Military Park to desecrate Confederate monuments there turned out to be false, but that did not stop a group of militia members from coming out, standing guard and shooting themselves in the foot – or literally in their left thigh.

According to Pennlive, a “patriot” in his twenties, later identified as Benjamin Hornberger, 23 of Shippensburg, PA, accidentally triggered the revolver he brought to the park, which was inside a leg holster, when he temporarily rested the bottom of his flag pole against the holster. Park police who were nearby when the shooting took place quickly applied a tourniquet, possibly saving his life.

The accidental discharge happened near four designated fenced areas for demonstrators. Many of the ‘patriots’, did not go into those areas immediately reportedly because their permit was suspended because of a brief rain, but instead marched around the perimeter. After the rain cleared, they were allowed in.

Later, as police were trying to unload the revolver, it went off a second time while visitors were nearby. Police say the gun was “bad” and they had a hard time getting the rounds out of the chamber. After they forced all of the rounds out of the revolver, they secured the gun.

Several weeks ago, rumors circulated that an antifa Twitter account announced that they were going to the park to desecrate its Confederate monuments, namely its flags, but the Twitter account was one of several fake antifa accounts with no connection to antifascist groups that attempt to paint them in a bad light. The story was circulated by neo-Fascist provocateurs such as Jack Posobiec, himself a Pennsylvania native, and Cassandra Fairbanks, and was also picked up by the right wing World News Daily and Fox News, who noted in their article that a Central Pennsylvania antifa group noted on their Facebook page that the report of such an action “smelled fishy”. Ironically, some Twitter accounts were calling for antifa to be shot.

Antifa have an event July 1, 3-6 PM, at Gettysburg National Memorial Park Cemetery… urging ppl to find Confederate graves’ to desecrate.

— Cassandra Fairbanks (@CassandraRules) June 28, 2017

Any Antifa desecrating Gettysburg should be shot on the spot

— Liberty Guerrilla (@LibrtyGuerrilla) June 22, 2017

AntifaPlans2BurnFlags & DesecrateGraves @ Gettysburg on Anniversary of Battle (IF THEY ATTEMPT IT,THEY SHD BE SHOT) https://t.co/75csMUSQlZ

— Andover1996 (@USPatriot01810) June 29, 2017

Eventually an Facebook event titled “Support America and Her History, Rally! If You Hate US, Leave!” was formed to call people to defend the park. Among those who attended this event was conservative writer and activist Dan Gray, who despite being Jewish, has participated in rallies against Syrian refugees with the neo-Nazi Keystone United, and has repeatedly railed against antifa in the past. “Gettysburg CAN confirm no Nazis on the dais,” he wrote in a tweet when their event began. “CANNOT confirm ANTIFA permit or presence.” By about 2:30 PM the “patriots” began leaving.

Rumors of war, fog of war: Gettysburg
CAN confirm no Nazis on the dais.
CANNOT confirm ANTIFA permit or presence.

— Dan Gray (@Dan_Gray_) July 1, 2017

Some people leaving as ominous clouds approach Gettysburg national military Park. Patriots here but no Antifa pic.twitter.com/oy0cgSh7jB

— Christine Vendel (@ChristineVendel) July 1, 2017

Antifa Checker has been established on Twitter and other social media outlets to direct people to legitimate antifa accounts.

Video from one of the militia members pretending to defend Gettysburg.