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Proud Boys rally in Portland, Oregon stokes fears of renewed violence Proud Boys rally in Portland, Oregon stokes fears of renewed violence
(about 5 hours later)
Pro-Trump group say event supports free speech and police but protests in the city have turned violent and deadlyPro-Trump group say event supports free speech and police but protests in the city have turned violent and deadly
Several thousand people are expected in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday for a rightwing rally in support of Donald Trump and his “law and order” re-election campaign, as tensions boil nationwide following the decision not to charge officers in Louisville, Kentucky, for killing Breonna Taylor. Several thousand people were expected in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday for a rightwing rally in support of Donald Trump and his “law and order” re-election campaign, as tensions boiled nationwide following the decision not to charge police officers in Louisville, Kentucky, in the killing of Breonna Taylor.
The Proud Boys, designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, described it as a free speech event to support Trump and the police, restore law and order and condemn anti-fascists, “domestic terrorism” and “violent gangs of rioting felons”. The Proud Boys, which the Southern Poverty Law Center calls a hate group, described it as a free speech event to support Trump and the police, restore law and order and condemn anti-fascists, “domestic terrorism” and “violent gangs of rioting felons”.
Local and state elected officials forcefully condemned the event and rushed to shore up law enforcement ranks as leftwing groups organized several rallies in response. Local and state elected officials condemned the event and rushed to shore up law enforcement ranks as leftwing groups organized in response.
Oregon governor Kate Brown said she was sending state troopers to help the Portland police and creating a unified command structure among city, regional and state law enforcement – a tactic that essentially circumvents a city ban on the use of tear gas as a crowd-control measure. Oregon governor Kate Brown said she was sending state troopers to help Portland police, creating a unified command structure – a tactic that essentially circumvents a city ban on the use of tear gas for crowd control. State police said a “massive influx” of troopers would be in Portland by Saturday morning.
The state police said a “massive influx” of troopers would be in Portland by Saturday morning.
“This is a critical moment,” said Brown, a Democrat. “We have seen what happens when armed vigilantes take matters into their own hands. We’ve seen it in Charlottesville, we’ve seen it in Kenosha and, unfortunately, we have seen it in Portland.“This is a critical moment,” said Brown, a Democrat. “We have seen what happens when armed vigilantes take matters into their own hands. We’ve seen it in Charlottesville, we’ve seen it in Kenosha and, unfortunately, we have seen it in Portland.
She was referencing deaths in Virginia, Wisconsin and Oregon during clashes between those on the right and left. She was referencing deaths in Virginia, Wisconsin and Oregon during clashes between right and left.
“The Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer groups have come time and time again looking for a fight, and the results are always tragic. Let me be perfectly clear, we will not tolerate any type of violence this weekend. Left, right or center, violence is never a path towards meaningful change.” “The Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer groups have come time and time again looking for a fight, and the results are always tragic,” Brown said. “Let me be perfectly clear, we will not tolerate any type of violence this weekend. Left, right or center, violence is never a path towards meaningful change.”
The Proud Boys, self-described “western chauvinists”, have held multiple events in Portland since Trump’s election alongside other rightwing groups such as Patriot Prayer that often end in clashes with leftwing counter-demonstrators. On Friday the Oregon Justice Resource Center launched a $1.25m civil suit against three named men, and 50 more yet to be identified, over a rally on 22 August at which right-wingers were recorded firing paintballs into a leftwing crowd. The same day, a journalist’s hand was broken by a Proud Boy wielding a baton.One man, Alan Swinney, announced on social media that he had been indicted, adding: “I’m sure it has something to do with shooting violent protesters with paintballs.” The Multnomah county district attorney did not comment.Also on Friday, Portland mayor Ted Wheeler sent a “letter to the community” in which he invoked for the first time state anti-paramilitary laws, a move the Guardian last week reported experts were urging.
Last month, a Trump supporter and Patriot Prayer follower was shot dead after some vehicles in a pro-Trump caravan diverted into Portland and crossed paths with leftwing activists. Right- and leftwing demonstrators fought in the streets, and some members of the caravan fired paintballs and bear spray. The suspect in the shooting. a self-described anti-fascist, was killed the following week by law enforcement in Washington state. “Oregon law prohibits paramilitary activity,” Wheeler said. “Organizers of and likely participants in the 26 September event have openly discussed tactical operations and military-style formations that lead us to believe that they are operating as an unauthorized private militia.”
Similar clashes in 2017, 2018 and 2019 resulted in violence and unrest and a massive deployment of law enforcement. Over four years in the city, provocations by rightwing activists have culminated in acts of violence; national rightwing media and Donald Trump have scapegoated local officials and antifascists; and national far right groups have come to the city.
The Proud Boys mentioned the death of Trump supporter Aaron “Jay” Danielson in their permit application, as well as Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old charged in the shooting deaths of two Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse’s attorneys say he actied in self-defense. In 2017, 2018, and 2019, large groups of Proud Boys and other activists descended. This year, after the violence on 22 August, on the night of 29 August a pro-Trump truck convoy made its way downtown, firing paintballs and mace and attacking protesters with their vehicles. That night, a Patriot Prayer associate, Aaron Jay Danielson, was shot dead. A self-proclaimed antifascist, Michael Forest Reinoehl, admitted to the shooting in a media interview, then was shot dead by US Marshals on 3 September in Lacey, Washington.
“The lawlessness has culminated with the assassination of our friend and Trump supporter Jay Danielson in Portland,“ the Proud Boys wrote in their permit application. “Portland leadership is unwilling to stop the violence. They have been blinded by their hatred of our President and will not allow outside help stopping the violence.” Saturday’s rally came after months of anti-police protests in Portland’s downtown, and a wildfire emergency in which rural residents engaged in vigilante actions.
Portland mayor Ted Wheeler said the city and its police force did not need or want help from “paramilitaries or vigilante groups”. “The lawlessness has culminated with the assassination of our friend and Trump supporter Jay Danielson in Portland,“ the Proud Boys wrote in their permit application. “Portland leadership is unwilling to stop the violence. They have been blinded by their hatred of our president and will not allow outside help stopping the violence.”
“For the past three years, our community has repeatedly had to deal with rallies of this kind, in which participants travel to our city threatening ‘takeovers’, touting their ‘combat unit’ capacity, and openly bragging about the waste of city resources that they can provoke,“ he said. The application mentioned Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old charged in the shooting deaths of two Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse’s attorneys say he acted in self-defense.
“We are unified and strong, and we will use every available power and resource of our city government to protect free speech and our community from violence.” Mayor Wheeler said the city and its police did not need or want help from “paramilitaries or vigilante groups”.
Police have canceled all scheduled days off for officers and will primarily be focused on keeping dueling groups of protesters separated. Deputy Chief Chris Davis acknowledged that Oregon is an open-carry state for firearms. But he reminded those attending the rally and counter-demonstrations that under Portland law, it’s illegal to carry a loaded firearm in public without an Oregon concealed handgun permit. “For the past three years, our community has repeatedly had to deal with rallies of this kind, in which participants travel to our city threatening ‘takeovers’, touting their ‘combat unit’ capacity, and openly bragging about the waste of city resources that they can provoke,” he said. “We are unified and strong, and we will use every available power and resource of our city government to protect free speech and our community from violence.”
Officers will patrol for weapons and check for permits as needed, he said. Deputy police chief Chris Davis acknowledged that Oregon is an open-carry state but reminded those attending the rally and counter-demonstrations that in Portland it is illegal to carry a loaded firearm in public without a state concealed handgun permit.
Officers would patrol for weapons and check for permits as needed, he said.
“We ask that you come peacefully and engage in your free speech peacefully,” police chief Chuck Lovell said. “It’s OK for us to disagree about things. But at the end of the day, doing so peacefully, letting people exercise their rights safely is very important. So that’s my ask the folks who are attending.”“We ask that you come peacefully and engage in your free speech peacefully,” police chief Chuck Lovell said. “It’s OK for us to disagree about things. But at the end of the day, doing so peacefully, letting people exercise their rights safely is very important. So that’s my ask the folks who are attending.”
Portland is approaching its fifth month of almost nightly protests against racial injustice and police brutality. Demonstrators want the city to take millions from the police budget and reallocate it to support the Black community. Some also are angry with the mayor, who is also the police commissioner, for allowing police to use tear gas until recently and for what they call overly aggressive police tactics. Anti-racism protesters want the city to take millions from the police budget and reallocate it to the Black community. Some are angry with Mayor Wheeler, also the police commissioner, for allowing police to use tear gas and overly aggressive tactics.
Wheeler has also refused to cede control of the police bureau to a Black city councilwoman with a decades-long resume of activism around police reform. Wheeler has refused to cede control of the police to a Black councilwoman with a decades-long resume of activism around police reform.
This week, protesters hurled three firebombs at police officers as tensions escalated in the wake of a Kentucky grand jury’s decision not to charge officers with killing Taylor, a Black woman who was shot in her home. This week, protesters hurled firebombs at officers, in the wake of the Kentucky decision not to charge officers with killing Taylor, a Black woman shot in her home.
The unrest has drawn the attention of Trump, who has repeatedly attacked Wheeler for not stopping the violence. For a two-week period in July, thousands of protesters squared off with federal agents sent by Trump from the US Department of Homeland Security, to protect a federal courthouse in downtown Portland. The unrest has drawn the attention of Trump, who has repeatedly attacked Wheeler. For a two-week period in July, thousands of protesters squared off with federal agents sent by the president from the US Department of Homeland Security, to protect a federal courthouse.