Far-right groups Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer,clashed with anti-fascist protesters in Portland, Ore. on Saturday night.
Patriot Prayer, an Oregon-based group, was holding a rally in downtown Portland yesterday; after several hours of clashes, video footage shows, an antifa protester sprays one of the far-right group members with pepper spray, setting off further violence.
The incident appears to have taken place outside Kelly’s Olympian bar and follows similar violence at the hands of Proud Boys on Friday night in New York City. According to Twitter user @itsmikebivins, the violence in Portland was “way worse” than the violence in New York.
“Right-wingers were clubbing people with clubs,” @itsmikebivins continued. Portland police confirmed that the incident was part of violence that occurred between the groups throughout the day, and involved “hard-knuckled gloves, firearms, batons and knives.”
Huge brawl just happened and police came in to firenless lethal rounds on people. Right-wingers were clubbing people w clubs outside of Kelly’s Olympian, way worse than NYC last night. proud Boys and Patriot prayer and Antifa just had a huge wild fight pic.twitter.com/a750y2ai7J
— Michael (@michaelbivins44) October 14, 2018
Portland PD made no arrests, unlike the NYPD, who made arrests on Friday night 1but said that their police report had no mention of “Proud Boys.”
According to BuzzFeed, the incident took place after a Fox News report criticizing a left-wing demonstration in response to the police killing of Patrick Kimmons, and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s acceptance of “mob rule” in the city.
Right-wingers wearing MAGA hats and carrying American flags descended on a vigil for Kimmons, according to the Oregonian. Skirmishes between the two sides ensued.
Antifa apparently burned flags and chanted, “Go home, Nazis.” After minor altercations between the two groups, the real violence broke out later that evening at Kelly’s Olympian.
https://twitter.com/LashayKATU/status/1051302190256541696
A member of Patriot Prayer saves a burning flag
— Storm (@xBc26x) October 14, 2018
#Patriotprayer #Antifa #protest #ProudBoys #PDX #Portland pic.twitter.com/PLlI1cVvy6
Portland police used less-lethal methods of breaking up the violence, including 40 mm Marking Foam Rounds.
“The Portland Police Bureau’s objectives for today’s events were to provide a safe environment for everyone, including participants, non-participants and bystanders,” Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw said in a statement from her department. “We are aware that there was a large, violent encounter between opposing groups on Southwest Washington Street.”
Outlaw encouraged anyone who had been a victim of the violence to file a police report.
H/T BuzzFeed