Twitter Users Blow Up Over Journalist Sharing ‘Both Sides’ of Man Protesting With AR-15

Twitter users are expressing outrage over the idea there are two sides to one man's form of protest.

On Thursday, investigative reporter for WBAL in Baltimore, Maryland, Tolly Taylor tweeted, "A man with an AR-15 has been showing up for weeks to a school bus drop off for local elementary school students. Parents say their kids are afraid, the man says he’s protesting [Gov. Wes Moore’s] new gun control law."

"You’ll hear from both sides at 5+6pm," he added.

https://twitter.com/TollyTaylor/status/1659379259973021697

A man Tolly interviewed for the story said, "I feel like if we don't do something about it now, then we'll be talking about it again and it will be too late at that point."

"I think that lives could be lost, people could be harmed," he added.

Tolly reported the school bus will sometimes decline to drop children off if the man carrying the gun -- identified as J'den McAdory -- is there.

McAdory defended his protest as he said, "Guns can be safe if it's controlled by the right person."

"I really wasn't coming out here for the kids. I was coming out here to show people that this is legal," he continued, adding, "I mean no harm to no one. I'm actually a deterrent away from the crime we always have here."

The law at issue goes into effect on Oct. 1 and bans people from carrying guns in areas "for children or vulnerable adults" such as a school or hospitals.

Twitter users were displeased with the idea of presenting McAdory's side of the story:

https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom/status/1659549439646928897

https://twitter.com/douglaskarr/status/1659384447257526274

https://twitter.com/CraigRozniecki/status/1659595049687035905

https://twitter.com/DRinaldiMusic/status/1659369478210084866

https://twitter.com/bugbrennan/status/1659516386253611010

https://twitter.com/cozzmo73/status/1659379223906091010

https://twitter.com/highbrow_nobrow/status/1659591452387688448

https://twitter.com/davidhogg111/status/1659568207361982465

https://twitter.com/AdamKinzinger/status/1659555171448373249

https://twitter.com/maxfawcett/status/1659552480496345089

Anne Arundel County police said in a statement McAdory is legally permitted to conduct his protest. However, it added police officers are "in the area to help ease growing concerns between students and parents."