Posted on 09/11/2017 7:29:20 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
At least seven people were arrested after clashing with police in Portland where white nationalists and Antifa counter-demonstrators faced off in tense dueling protests on Sunday.
Two police officers were injured in the violence, local media reported.
Authorities in the city were preparing for violence at around noon as anticipation grew for a rally that was staged by Patriot Prayer, a right-wing organization.
At around the same time, police made sure to create a buffer between Patriot Prayer and several hundred counter-protesters belonging to another group which demonstrated under the banner ‘Shut Down White Supremacy’.
There was also a street march organized by the group Portland Stands United Against Hate.
Police made sure to create a buffer between Patriot Prayer and several hundred counter-protesters belonging to another group which demonstrated under the banner ‘Shut Down White Supremacy’
While the rallies were taking place at the same time, they were kept separate by police, though some shouting could be heard between the two sides, according to KGW-TV.
Overall the demonstrations were largely peaceful, though a small number of Antifa protesters began to throw projectiles, including rocks and smoke bombs at police.
The Patriot Prayer protest which had gathered in Portland eventually moved across the river to nearby Vancouver, Washington, according to KOIN-TV.
Police in Vancouver – aided by officers from Portland – also stood in between the Patriot Prayer demonstrators and the counter-protesters who followed them.
At least two police officers suffered injuries during the scuffles with Antifa counter-demonstrators.
One of the most liberal cities in America, Portland has been the site of numerous political protests that have often turned violent.
Portland has been the site of some of the country's most bitter political demonstrations so far this year.
Tension in Portland has been high since in late May when a man fatally stabbed two passengers aboard a commuter train after they tried to stop him from harassing two young women who appeared to be Muslim.
A week later, 14 people were arrested after riot police turned out in force in downtown Portland where supporters and opponents of President Donald Trump faced off in dueling political rallies.
The counter-protesters marched through the streets of Vancouver, chanting ‘Go home, Nazis.’
When the far-right rally ended, police had the demonstrators leave eight at a time while they shielded them from attack by counter-protesters.
One scary moment took place when a motorist driving a large pickup truck accelerated toward a crowd of demonstrators.
Luckily, no one was hit by the car. Police surrounded the vehicle and arrested the driver, according to witnesses.
The suspect was driving a black Chevy Silverado with Oregon license plates and two large American flags and several small flags hanging from its windows, according to Willamette Week.
Witnesses said the truck was traveling slowly down the road as protesters walked by.
When a number of protesters began to walk behind the truck and throw debris and water bottles, the driver put the truck in reverse and began to accelerate toward the crowd.
People who had been walking on the street jumped out of the way. Police soon arrived at the scene and arrested the driver.
Last month, a woman was killed and 20 others were injured when a suspected neo-Nazi ploughed his car into a group of anti-racist demonstrators in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Patriot Prayer is an organization that holds rallies and demonstrations in predominantly liberal enclaves like Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco.
Its founder, Joey Gibson, a Japanese-American, denies accusations that his group is racist.
Patriot Prayer says its goal is to support free speech and the First Amendment, though critics say it seeks to provoke violent responses from Antifa.
Portland has been the site of numerous political protests that have often turned violent.
The predominantly liberal Oregon town was jarred in late May when a man fatally stabbed two passengers aboard a commuter train after they tried to stop him from harassing two young women who appeared to be Muslim.
The alleged assailant, Jeremy Joseph Christian, a resident of the city, was believed to hold racist and extremist beliefs.
A week later, 14 people were arrested after riot police turned out in force in downtown Portland where supporters and opponents of President Donald Trump faced off in dueling political rallies.
Before Sunday’s rallies, Portland’s mayor, Ted Wheeler, warned demonstrators to refrain from violence.
‘Portland Police will focus on ensuring that people’s right for freedom of expression and speech is protected,’ the mayor said.
‘However, illegal behavior is not acceptable. We will not tolerate acts of violence.
‘We will not tolerate vandalism. We will not tolerate criminal behavior.’
The seven people arrested during the Portland rallies have been identified as Tyler W. Bristow, 27; Chad Skjei, 37; Thomas ‘Sarah’ Wallace, 18; Deaclan S. Lenartz, 35; Naomi G. Seraphina, 42; Alice E. Hall, 27; and Eli F. Richey, 37.
All seven have been arrested for either interfering with a police officer or disorderly conduct.
One of them, Wallace, faces a charge of assaulting a police officer.
Two others were arrested in Vancouver. They were identified as Nicholas Partin, 37; and Shawna Gonzalez, 34.
” though critics say it seeks to provoke violent responses from Antifa.”
What???? How do they provoke Antifa? By existing?
So. two groups opposed to facists (themselves) are fighting each other? Or something? The old “We hate them more than you do.” “Nuh uh. We hate them more.” “Oh yeah?”. Will any of them actually do any time other than the initial incarceration? Good thing they’re peaceful huh?
Ever notice how antifa always seems to march in liberal cities????
Patriot Prayer is not white nationalist. But the media always has to try and create some kind of moral equivalence between free speech conservatives and communist antifa thugs.
#FakeNews
So, these antifa people are just the same people with a more fierce cause, plus we now know that they are getting paid to show up.
I think they will show up anywhere. But the media seems to portray their victims as “far-right” and “asking for it” as if the definition of “far-right” is “Anyone that Antifa attacks”.
Hmmm. I originally heard that the two groups were both (yeah, I know there are no “both”) protesting white people. Which is what it boils down to. By mostly young white folks. Uh, WTF? Slackers need to be kissing the ground every morning that they weren’t born in friggin’ Zimbabwe or Mogadishu. Hard times? They don’t have a clue. Ungrateful snots!
Who has time to demonstrate and march around for or against this-n-that?
Oh, that’s right. Unemployable Liberal Theater Majors!
*SMIRK*
(As the weather cools and the snow flies, I’m thinking we’ll see less and less of this idiocy from either side...)
These would be the easiest kinds of violence for law enforcement to stop. An on the ball intel effort doesn’t even need to have the leaders arrested. Just find the thug’s paymasters and hold them as long a possible. Send them to Gitmo. Cut off the money and these “protests” die on the vine.
I’ve noticed that on these news sites and such that aren’t directly designed for babykillers, like NYT or WAPO or HuffPost, that the feed back is always overwhelmingly for Trump. If liberals are such a majority where are they?
My post was unclear I meant sites other than dedicated liberal sites. On general news sites Trumpets outnumber RATs overwhelmingly.
Just arrest anyone with a mask who refuses to take it off. Violent protesting over.
Exactly.
My thought as well. A mandated tag.
They live there now.
“White nationalists” - Priceless....
Antifa is “Occupy Wall Street” version 3.0.
(”Black Lives Matter” was version 2.0)
The same know-nothing imbeciles, only with more violence.
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