This weekend, Portland is bracing for round two. Gibson, who is running as a Republican for a U.S. Senate seat from Washington, is planning to hold a "Freedom March" on August 4 at the city's waterfront, the Portland Mercury reported.
It's shaping up to be a possible tinderbox. Fringe-right media outlets like Alex Jones' Infowars have promoted the event, and Gibson has reportedly promised that followers from across the country will attend, including members of the Proud Boys, a self-described "western chauvinist" group known for their distinct Fred Perry polo shirts.
"We'll have people locally showing up from Vancouver, Portland, Hillsboro, California. We have people flying in from Texas and the East Coast," he told OPB. Some of those attendees will also reportedly by armed, prompting the Southern Poverty Law Center to wonder if this weekend could be "Another Charlottesville?"
In response, local leftist and antifa groups are prepping counter-protests. Once again, Portland could again be the scene of a clash - another illustration of the partisan tears in the current American social fabric.
Patriot Prayer organizers will be busing followers in from Vancouver, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB.) In a Facebook video posted on June 30 promoting the march, Gibson said armed guards will be on-hand to protect supporters from antifa attacks.
"Everyone should be carrying around guns at all times, especially in our situation," Gibson said in the video, according to KOIN. "I cannot think of one rally when we didn't have guns with us . . . Everywhere we go, we have guns."
According to the Oregonian, Portland's code does not allow firearms in parks unless the individual carrying has a valid state concealed handgun license. Gibson, a Washington native, told OPB he will not be armed at the event.
Counter-protestors are promising to meet Gibson and his followers head on. A handful of leftist groups have organized a counter action on Facebook, "Resist Patriot Prayer: Violent Alt-Right Bigots Off Our Streets."
Four groups - Eugene Antifa, Rose City Antifa, RASH NW and Pacific Northwest Anti-Fascist Workers Collective - have banded together for the confrontation.
"We make no apologies for the use of force in keeping our communities safe from the scourge of right-wing violence. Make no mistake, these people are coming here with the intent to harm and threaten people," the event's posting states.
Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice - pull down your pants and slide on the ice. ʘ ͜ʖ ʘ
Posts: 4958 | Location: Highland, UT | Registered: September 14, 2006
Portland trying to out-Seattle, Seattle. It never ends up there in the PacNW. There's a special brand of lefty up there, most are anarchists, are unaware they are nilists and hate everything. Move outside of King Country, WA, Portland, or, Eugene/Corvallis (univ towns) and it all looks normal.
Posts: 15435 | Location: Wine Country | Registered: September 20, 2000
"Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it." L.Tolstoy "A government is just a body of people, usually, notably, ungoverned." Shepherd Book
Posts: 13469 | Location: In the gilded cage | Registered: December 09, 2007
Four groups - Eugene Antifa, Rose City Antifa, RASH NW and Pacific Northwest Anti-Fascist Workers Collective - have banded together for the confrontation.
“Look, its the Judean Peoples Front!” “No, Were the Peoples Front of Judea!” “Wait, I thought we were the “Popular” Front....”
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them." - John Wayne in "The Shootist"
Posts: 3540 | Location: California | Registered: May 31, 2004
Four groups - Eugene Antifa, Rose City Antifa, RASH NW and Pacific Northwest Anti-Fascist Workers Collective - have banded together for the confrontation.
So are they rumbling with the Greasers or the Socs?
Four groups - Eugene Antifa, Rose City Antifa, RASH NW and Pacific Northwest Anti-Fascist Workers Collective - have banded together for the confrontation.
“Look, its the Judean Peoples Front!” “No, Were the Peoples Front of Judea!” “Wait, I thought we were the “Popular” Front....”
Splinter!
___________________________________________ Life Member NRA & Washington Arms Collectors
Mistake not my current state of joshing gentle peevishness for the awesome and terrible majesty of the towering seas of ire that are themselves the milquetoast shallows fringing my vast oceans of wrath.
Velocitas Incursio Vis - Gandhi
Posts: 2174 | Location: T-town in the 253 | Registered: January 16, 2013
After-action report. Around 10:30 AM they had the Patriot Prayer folks on one side of the street and the Antifa folks on the other side, with a double line of police in riot gear (pads, helmets, shields on some, batons and tear gas) in between. For a while it was just a lot of shouting and name calling. Then about 2 PM some of the Antifas started getting a little rowdier and the police responded with flashbangs and pepper spray. They pushed the Antifa's further into downtown (away from the PP folks) and ordered them to disperse. At that point it would have ended, but the PP crowd decided to cross the street and follow the Antifas into downtown, almost like they were looking for a fight. Police declared that it was now a civil disturbance and ordered both sides to disperse and go home. It took until late evening for them to get it cleared up.
There have since been complaints of police brutality made by some of the Antifas. Chief Outlaw has ordered an outside investigation to determine whether the cops acted within their guidelines or not. If that "investigation" turns up anything at all, I fully expect Outlaw to throw the cops under the bus.
Posts: 7606 | Location: Idaho | Registered: February 12, 2007
As these are the bitchy snowflakes who whine over mean words and who support 'didndo nuthin', I say video or it didn't happen.
"Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it." L.Tolstoy "A government is just a body of people, usually, notably, ungoverned." Shepherd Book
Posts: 13469 | Location: In the gilded cage | Registered: December 09, 2007
No, these are the anarchist troublemakers who don't give a shit about the political issues that the protest is supposed to be about but are just looking for any excuse to cause trouble. It's these assholes who you see wearing masks or bandanas to hide their faces. I saw a brief video on the local news that showed one Antifa getting knocked on his ass by an officer, but you couldn't see what led up to it. At one point the Antifas started throwing bottles and rocks at the police, that was what triggered the flashbangs and pepper spray response. A number of downtown retail businesses in the protest area elected to stay closed for the day in anticipation of violence. The level of violence wasn't what some expected, and most of that was between the Antifas and the police, not between the two protest groups.
Posts: 7606 | Location: Idaho | Registered: February 12, 2007
At that point it would have ended, but the PP crowd decided to cross the street and follow the Antifas into downtown, almost like they were looking for a fight.
Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys are looking for a fight (lotsa young guys looking to practice their fighting skills). Most of the time, Antifa starts shit and the Proud Boys destroy them.
It looks like Antifa minded their manners (or were dispersed before they could throw rocks) and didn't give Proud Boys the chance to beat their ass.
There's Facebook pages specifically based on gathering to beat antifa up. Just watch the video, everyone is coming in their own homemade version of knights armor. Looks like fun actually.
Posts: 7016 | Location: Right outside Philly | Registered: September 08, 2005
