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Alex Jones goes viral (again) after yelling at Austin lifeguards at Barton greenbelt entrance
12 August 2020
Extended cut of Alex Jones yelling in front of Barton Creek greenbelt
The man Austinites love to hate, political extremist and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, went viral on Wednesday when a video of him ranting at Barton Creek greenbelt lifeguards over the weekend was posted and viewed more than 3 million (and counting) times on Twitter.
The video shows him, mini-bullhorn in hand, claiming the coronavirus is a hoax and calling the youthful lifeguards who were checking reservations "cult-member kooks."
The video was posted originally by local filmmaker Scott Cobb on Twitter on Monday but gained traction after D.C. national security lawyer Bradley Moss posted the video to his 187k followers on Twitter.
It is unclear from the postings who shot the video, which is dated Aug. 9 in a YouTube version voiced over by an Infowars commentator and labeled "banned video." The video showed up on YouTube inverted, though the Twitter version is correct.
Jones rarely goes anywhere without a camera in tow, however, and several people commented that the video was his. (We'll update if we find out otherwise.)
After it went viral, Cobb posted a link to help support lifeguards.
"Would you like to help Austin lifeguards? Email Austin City Council and urge them to start paying lifeguards extra holiday pay when they are required to work on holidays like July 4," the Tweet read.
In the video, Jones is angry about the greenbelt asking for reservations, calling the coronavirus a hoax and the required reservation the parks require to be "illegal activity." The area has been enforcing reservations as a way to encourage social distancing.
Austin police are summoned—it's unclear by whom—and wave visitors into the park who Jones says were without reservations, although the exact conversation between the police and visitors can't be heard.
The police also leave Jones to his rantings, which are largely ignored by the dozen or so masked people nearby (one of whom shoots the middle finger at the camera operator).
At the end of the video, Alex peers closely into the camera and demands that Austin be taken back from the "power grab."
"It's constitutional. This is not even a city ordinance. This is an illegal power grab of the people's greenbelt, and it's time to free Austin," a red-faced Jones screamed into the megaphone at the sparse crowd.
The video is trending at number one on Twitter for the U.S. at the time of this post, and is receiving intense backlash online.
Alex Jones is a sad and lonely man. https://t.co/P8ZvRpIJYA— Bradley P. Moss (@Bradley P. Moss)1597238751.0
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Popular
Barton Springs Pool is one of many places to spend your day at this spring for under $10 a person.
Austin is one of those cities filled with fun activities for anyone and everyone—even if you're on a budget. Whether you're looking for some fun drinking or you want to spend a day in nature, Austin has you covered with some bizarre and other tranquil entertainment options for the best day ever.
Here are 9 activities under $10 you should try in Austin.
Chicken Shit Bingo at The Little Longhorn Saloon
Address: 5434 Burnet Road
For the past 40 years, The Little Longhorn Saloon has provided Austinites with amazing live music of all genres, a good time and one of the weirdest and most creative activities: chicken shit bingo.
If you had to do a double take on that name, you aren't alone. The popular weekly activity is a fan favorite at The LIttle Longhorn Saloon. From 4-8 p.m. on Sundays, you can make a $2 donation to buy your ticket and gather with your friends for the unique bingo experience. Once the chickens are fed and the anticipation for what is followed begins, the rounds of bingo start. Your ticket will have a number that will correspond with one on the table and if a chicken happens to do its business on your lucky number, you win a cash prize.
Cathedral of Junk
Address: 4422 Lareina Dr.
Hidden behind a south Austin home is none other than the Cathedral of Junk, a beloved Austin treasure. What started as a fun project for owner Vince Hannemann has become the talk of the town and a location for tours, weddings, parties and much more.
Hannemann started building his towering artwork in 1988 when he was in his 20s and has since collected some 60 tons of unwanted items, adding to the Cathedral of Junk. Adults can make a $10 donation to tour the Austin gem and kids 18 and younger get in for free. You can make a reservation to tour the Cathedral of Junk by calling Vince at 512-299-7413.
Zilker Botanical Garden
Address: 2220 Barton Springs Road
In the heart of downtown is a land where the grass is green and gardens don't fall short on the horizon. At the Zilker Botanical Garden, guests can tour around the different themed gardens while enjoying some sunlight and all that nature has to offer. The botanical garden has three garden themes: Taniguchi Japanese Garden, Hartman Prehistoric Garden and the Rose Garden, all offering different sights and peaceful walking tours. General admission tickets range from $6 to $8 depending on the time of day and a reservation can be made online here.
There are also free days offered for 2021: May 2, July 17, Sept. 12, Nov. 11 and Dec. 27.
Barton Springs Pool
Address: 2131 William Barton Dr.
It's no secret that Austinites cherish one of the most well-known treasures of the city: Barton Springs Pool. The 3 acre pool is made possible from underground springs with warm water temperatures of 68-70 degrees, making it a perfect place to visit year-round. The pool has been visited by locals, tourists, celebrities and all people wanting to enjoy a beautiful natural treasure within downtown city limits. Austin residents can enter the Barton Springs Pool for $5; entry for children between the ages of 1 and 11 is $2, ages 12 to 17 is $3 and seniors 62 or older is $2.
Mayfield Park
Address: 3505 W 35th St.
Since before humans toured the grounds of Mayfield Park, bright and colorful peacocks claimed it as theirs and haven't left since. Mayfield Park, home to over 20 acres of palm trees, brilliant gardens, koi ponds and as stated before, brilliantly eccentric peacocks. From 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., guests can roam around the park while exploring the historic buildings, running into peacocks and enjoying the outdoors.
Watch the sunset at Oasis Texas Brewing Company
Address: 6650 Comanche Trail Suite #301
Lake Travis has some of the most breathtaking views in Austin, and now, you can enjoy a cold beer and some sunset views at the Oasis Texas Brewing Company. From 4-6 p.m. on Thursday and 2-6 p.m. on Fridays, the brewery hosts a killer happy hour with a great view. Guests can order $12 sliders and beer tasting featuring a fried chicken slider, wagyu beef slider and triple threat pork slider plus a flight of 3 beers. If the extra $2 is a dealbreaker, you can try any slider and a beer for $5 during happy hour. Checking out Lake Travis during golden hour might be an activity worth doing every weekend.
The Congress Avenue Bridge bats
Address: Congress Ave.
Locals know that starting in late March until early fall, spotting bats during sunset isn't a surprise. Whether it's your first time seeing the Mexican free-tailed bats wake and start their night flight or you've seen it one too many times, it's a mindblowing and beautiful activity worth witnessing, sometimes more than one. The small winged nocturnal animals come out to play right around sunset. If you find yourself on the Congress Avenue Bridge, along with hundreds of other people wanting to see the magical experience, you won't be disappointed.
Carousel Lounge
Address: 1110 E. 52nd
Halloween is far away but Carousel Lounge, a beloved Austin circus-themed bar will be reopening it's doors just in time for a fun summer. The oh-so-Austin and unique dive bar has been providing Austinites with quite a weird scene of circus-themed everything since the 1960s. Now, with the pandemic's end in sight, the bar will be opening its doors May 1 for a night of creepy fun, drinks and tons of live music. If you're not sold on the idea or being surrounded by clowns, you'll be happy to know its BYO-liquor, according to do512. Go for the experience, save on the alcohol.
Yard Bar
Address: 6700 Burnet Road
At Yard Bar, you'll find yourself enjoying a cold beer while spending time with exclusively dog lovers, all while giving your own pup a space to have fun. For a $9 per dog entry pass, 21 and older guests can enjoy the afternoon at the outdoor restaurant while drinking $5 draft beers and soaking up some sun. Along with pup-inspired meals for your own four-legged friends, Yard Bar also offers human food such as burgers and sandwiches. So if you're looking for good beer, good food and even better—dogs, Yard Bar has you covered.
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(Laura Figi/Austonia)
Austin FC's first-ever match is just around the corner, and we're just as excited as you are!
In Austonia's commitment to covering the first major league pro sport in Austin, Senior Producer Sonia Garcia and I will head to LA to watch the opening match vs. LAFC.
We understand what a special opportunity this is, which is why we're going to share our experience as much as possible. We'll provide updates on our website and make sure to follow along on our Twitter and Instagram as we bring every bit of the matchday experience to you.
Stay tuned!
