A gunfight in Portland, Oregon, last weekend is intensifying concerns over escalating violence during contentious rallies in the city, as far-right demonstrators and anti-fascist counter-protesters have repeatedly faced off. On Sunday afternoon, about 200 Proud Boys and members of other far-right groups clashed with a smaller group of anti-fascists near an abandoned Kmart in the citys outer northeast. The confrontation became a running street battle, with participants fist-fighting and attacking each other with pepper spray. At one point on Sunday, a firework thrown by an anti-fascist exploded in the forecourt of a gas station, raising alarm on all sides of the confrontation.
The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) charged a 65-year-old man from Gresham, Oregon, over a gunfight in the citys downtown during violent clashes on Sunday. Authorities say Dennis Anderson drew a concealed handgun and shot at a group of anti-fascists who were trying to expel him from the area. At least one of the anti-fascists shot back, according to authorities, with seven shots exchanged between the two sides.
Proud Boys and members of other far-right groups openly displayed handguns during the protest, and the shootout fueled the growing concern about the presence of firearms at rallies taking place across the US. But other violent incidents in Portland on Sunday showed how participants have also increasingly adopted less lethal, but still dangerous, technologies as weapons for political street fighting. The PPB Chief, Chuck Lovell, announced in repeated statements in advance of the unpermitted rally that protesters should not expect to see police officers standing in the middle of the crowd trying to keep people apart. The tactic gave rally-goers and counter-protesters free rein, while employees of businesses located near the fracastold local mediathat they felt abandoned by law enforcement.
Some Proud Boys, on the other hand, were carrying airsoft guns, replica firearms that fire pellets with compressed air and are usually used in recreational combat games or combat training. The use of airsoft and paintball guns, just like any weapon, can be prosecuted when they are used to threaten others. Earlier this month, a Portland resident was arrested for pointing an airsoft weapon at a journalist, under astatutethat penalizes the misuse of dangerous or deadly weapons. But they are not subject to any specific federal or state laws, and nor are they covered by firearms laws.
Those weapons, along with paintball guns, first made an appearance during clashes in August 2020, when a group of far-right brawlers used them to shoot gas-propelled pellets at a far larger group of leftwing protesters. Participants had planned for weeks to employ the devices in a way that maximized their destructive impact. Since then, the weapons have been used at every Portland protest where far-right groups have shown up, including last August, when passengers in vehicles participating in a pro-Donald Trump truck convoy shot pedestrians with the devices. Hours after those vehicle attacks, Jay Danielson, a supporter of Patriot Prayer, a far-right street protest group that made high-profile incursions into Portland throughout the Trump era, wasshot deadby a self-identified anti-fascist, Michael Reinoehl. Reinoehl himself was later shot dead by police in Lacey, Washington.
Between January 2020 and July 2021, Portland saw 128 demonstrations that were violent and/or destructive, amounting to 31% of the total number of demonstrations in the city in that period. This was more than 10 times higher than the national average of 3% of demonstrations becoming violent or destructive.
In the same time period, Portland saw 21 armed demonstrations about 4% of all armed demonstrations across the country in that time. Fourteen of those or 67% turned violent or destructive in that period, whereas only 16% of armed demonstrations did in the country as a whole.
Read the original post:
- Southern Poverty Law Center rebukes Chicago Police Department for lack of action for officers tied to Oath Keepers, Proud Boys - WLS-TV - May 15th, 2024 [May 15th, 2024]
- Top Cop Defends Investigation Into Officers for Ties to Proud Boys and Oath Keepers That Won't Lead to Discipline - WTTW News - May 6th, 2024 [May 6th, 2024]
- Proud Boys Leader Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Seditious ... - Department of Justice - September 11th, 2023 [September 11th, 2023]
- DeSantis and Ramaswamy Call Proud Boys' Sentences 'Excessive ... - The New York Times - September 11th, 2023 [September 11th, 2023]
- Who Would Condemn a Community Rally Against the Proud Boys ... - Saratoga TODAY Newspaper - September 11th, 2023 [September 11th, 2023]
- Florida man connected to Proud Boys pleads guilty to assaulting police during Capitol riot - The Hill - August 26th, 2023 [August 26th, 2023]
- Vancouver Proud Boy gets prison for Portland rally riot - The Columbian - July 23rd, 2023 [July 23rd, 2023]
- 'Active club' hate groups are growing in the U.S. and making ... - NPR - July 23rd, 2023 [July 23rd, 2023]
- Louisiana's education chief to address extremist Moms for Liberty ... - Louisana Illuminator - July 23rd, 2023 [July 23rd, 2023]
- East Naples 'Proud Boy' guilty in attack on Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol. - Naples Daily News - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- KC Proud Boy jailed more than 2 years in Jan. 6 case to stay there after another delay - Yahoo News - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Proud Boys and Oath Keepers: what is their future with top leaders jailed? - The Guardian US - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Latino faith leaders to gather for summit on Christian nationalism - The Washington Post - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Proud Boys on trial for Jan. 6 riot want to subpoena Donald Trump to ... - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Proud Boys member drafts subpoena to call Trump as a witness in Jan. 6 ... - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Proud Boys leaders facing Jan. 6 charges say they intend to subpoena ... - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Delilahs Gentlemens Club bartender gets probation for storming the Capitol with aspiring Proud Boys - The Philadelphia Inquirer - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Jan. 6 trial of Proud Boys leaders plagued by bickering between lawyers ... - February 13th, 2023 [February 13th, 2023]
- Proud Boys sedition trial shows group keying off Trump comments - February 13th, 2023 [February 13th, 2023]
- Four Takeaways From the Proud Boys Jan. 6 Sedition Trial So Far - February 12th, 2023 [February 12th, 2023]
- Enrique Tarrio - Wikipedia - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Former Proud Boy testifies in Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy trial - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- Proud Boys on defensive at sedition trial haunted by absent Trump - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- Proud Boys expecting 'civil war' before Jan. 6, witness says - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- 'We were openly expecting a civil war' | Former Proud Boy testifies at seditious conspiracy trial - WUSA9.com - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- Proud Boys | Leader, Founder, History, January 6 Attack, & Donald Trump ... - January 4th, 2023 [January 4th, 2023]
- Proud Boys attorney wants Trump's 'stand back and stand by' statement kept out of trial - WUSA9.com - January 4th, 2023 [January 4th, 2023]
- Feds Had Informants In Proud Boys And Oath Keepers For J6 - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]
- A Disputed Witness at the Proud Boys Sedition Trial: A Police Officer - The New York Times - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- Proud Boys memo reveals meticulous planning for street-level violence ... - November 27th, 2022 [November 27th, 2022]
- F.B.I. Had Informants in Proud Boys, Court Papers Suggest - November 27th, 2022 [November 27th, 2022]
- Jeremy Bertino, Proud Boys member from North Carolina, pleads guilty to ... - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Ex Proud Boys leader pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy in Jan. 6 - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Proud Boys leader pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy, agrees to ... - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Proud Boys leader pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy over Jan. 6 ... - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Proud Boys leader pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Penn State refuses to cancel a speech by Proud Boys founder - NPR - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Proud Boys gather outside of Drag Queen Story Hour in Wheaton - BethesdaMagazine.com - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- 'Clear and present danger': Jan. 6 committee to describe lingering Trump threat - POLITICO - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- 7 Ways Roger Stone Was Connected to the January 6 Attack Mother Jones - Mother Jones - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Contompasis convicted in 2021 stabbing of two Proud Boys - Times Union - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Synthego Launches Engineered Cell Libraries to Validate Targets with Speed and Accelerate Drug Discovery - Brazosport Facts - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- IDRx Launches with $122 Million Series A Financing to Treat Cancer with Purpose-Built Precision Combination Therapies - Business Wire - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- Global Human Identification Market Report 2022: Massive Scope for Adoption of NGS and Capillary Electroph - Benzinga - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- F2: France Preview, Predictions and How to Watch - Last Word On Motorsport - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- The Age of the Superyacht - The New Yorker - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Proud Boys' trial delayed after defendants say Jan. 6 committee ... - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- New video shows Proud Boys ignored their own orders against violence ... - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Proud Boys disrupt Pride event at Wilmington library - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Proud Boys Showed Up To A Pride Month Library Event But Were Met With A ... - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Why Are the Proud Boys so Afraid of Drag Queens? - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Sarasota school board candidates must openly condemn the Proud Boys - Sarasota Herald-Tribune - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- NAACP calls for Jefferson County Commissioner Jacksons resignation after posing with Proud Boys - WDVM 25 - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Shane Lamond, MPD Lieutenant Under Investigation For Ties to Proud Boys, Accused of Time Theft Two Years Ago - Washington City Paper - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- DOJ Targets Proud Boys, Expanding Its Sedition Probe - June 18th, 2022 [June 18th, 2022]
- Stephen Colbert Is Thrilled to Roast the Proud Boys - Vanity Fair - June 18th, 2022 [June 18th, 2022]
- What We Learned About Trump, Pence, and the January 6th Mob - The New Yorker - June 18th, 2022 [June 18th, 2022]
- Aspiring Camden County Proud Boy sentenced to two weeks behind bars for role in Capitol riot - The Philadelphia Inquirer - June 18th, 2022 [June 18th, 2022]
- Proud Boys | ADL - June 1st, 2022 [June 1st, 2022]
- Former Proud Boys Leader Indicted in Jan. 6 Investigation - June 1st, 2022 [June 1st, 2022]
- Hostilities between Proud Boys and Oath Keepers emerge as a line of ... - June 1st, 2022 [June 1st, 2022]
- Who is Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio? - The US Sun - June 1st, 2022 [June 1st, 2022]
- Mayor Wu Announces Members of the Black Men & Boys Commission - Boston.gov - May 20th, 2022 [May 20th, 2022]
- Proud Boys member pleads guilty for role in US Capitol attack - The Guardian - April 29th, 2022 [April 29th, 2022]
- First Thing: Putin warns Ukraine allies against intervention - The Guardian - April 29th, 2022 [April 29th, 2022]
- Street cam videos show before-and-after Highland Square fights with Proud Boy, others - Akron Beacon Journal - April 29th, 2022 [April 29th, 2022]
- Proud Boys Leader Enrique Tarrio Charged With Conspiracy - April 25th, 2022 [April 25th, 2022]
- Noble: I'm proud of the boys' efforts - West Ham United F.C. - April 25th, 2022 [April 25th, 2022]
- Canadian report warns of extremist infiltration in military - ABC News - April 25th, 2022 [April 25th, 2022]
- Looking ahead to the Jan. 6 committee hearings - PBS NewsHour - April 25th, 2022 [April 25th, 2022]
- Former Proud Boy Talks about January 6, Antifa and Why the Organization Won't Last Much Longer - The Peoples Vanguard of Davis - April 25th, 2022 [April 25th, 2022]
- Oath Keepers and Proud Boys were in touch before US Capitol attack, texts reveal - The Guardian - April 22nd, 2022 [April 22nd, 2022]
- SC inmate accused of threatening to assassinate Pres. Biden, VP Harris - WSAV-TV - April 22nd, 2022 [April 22nd, 2022]
- Former Proud Boys member extradited to U.S. pleads to misdemeanor after assaulting Palestinian man - CBC.ca - April 22nd, 2022 [April 22nd, 2022]
- Capitol attack panel expects to hear how militia groups coordinated plans before insurrection - The Guardian - March 29th, 2022 [March 29th, 2022]
- What is Anonymous? How the infamous hacktivist group went from 4chan trolling to launching cyberattacks on Russia - CNBC - March 29th, 2022 [March 29th, 2022]
- Leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers met the day before the Capitol Riot. A documentary film crew was present. - Business Insider Africa - March 15th, 2022 [March 15th, 2022]
- No, the Proud Boys aren't going to Ukraine: how a small troll went viral - Crikey - February 28th, 2022 [February 28th, 2022]
- Whose sovereignty is really being fought for? What happens when First Nations People are dragged into extremist protests - The Conversation AU - February 7th, 2022 [February 7th, 2022]
- Republicans to field more than 100 far-right candidates this year - The Guardian - February 5th, 2022 [February 5th, 2022]