OR - Portland far-right rally, counter-protest lead to some arrests, injuries, 05 Aug. 2018

[bluesneakers]

Violent Proto-Fascists Came To Portland. The Police Went After The Anti-Fascists.

And yet, when police decided the standoff was too tense for comfort, they targeted the local anti-fascists. As officers lobbed flash-bang grenades at them — ear-piercing explosives that temporarily disorient the senses — Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer members cheered on the cops, claiming victory against the “violent leftists” they’d come expecting to fight themselves.

One police flash-bang canister reportedly pierced an anti-fascist’s helmet, cutting into his head. “I’m certain he would be dead if he wasn’t wearing a helmet,” 39-year-old Jenny Nickolaus, an anti-fascist demonstrator and friend of the victim, told HuffPost. “The trauma nurse said as much.”
...
As cops chased anti-fascists through the streets, Patriot Prayer and Proud Boys were also on the move, marching west from the river into downtown. (A couple had been injured, having reportedly walked through a throng of anti-fascists, and had cuts on their heads.) They were flanked by police in riot gear, who never engaged them despite demanding that they disperse several times.
...
Later, journalist Brendan O’Connor reported on Twitter that some Proud Boys “sprayed bear mace” at a group of anti-fascists as they drove out of Portland.

Anti-fascists across America have long accused police of siding with, and protecting, white supremacists and fascists. Earlier this year in Newnan, Georgia, heavily militarized police charged at anti-fascists demonstrating against a neo-Nazi rally, pointing guns in their faces.​

 

[Jennifer17]

Violent Proto-Fascists Came To Portland. The Police Went After The Anti-Fascists.

And yet, when police decided the standoff was too tense for comfort, they targeted the local anti-fascists. As officers lobbed flash-bang grenades at them — ear-piercing explosives that temporarily disorient the senses — Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer members cheered on the cops, claiming victory against the “violent leftists” they’d come expecting to fight themselves.

One police flash-bang canister reportedly pierced an anti-fascist’s helmet, cutting into his head. “I’m certain he would be dead if he wasn’t wearing a helmet,” 39-year-old Jenny Nickolaus, an anti-fascist demonstrator and friend of the victim, told HuffPost. “The trauma nurse said as much.”
...
As cops chased anti-fascists through the streets, Patriot Prayer and Proud Boys were also on the move, marching west from the river into downtown. (A couple had been injured, having reportedly walked through a throng of anti-fascists, and had cuts on their heads.) They were flanked by police in riot gear, who never engaged them despite demanding that they disperse several times.
...
Later, journalist Brendan O’Connor reported on Twitter that some Proud Boys “sprayed bear mace” at a group of anti-fascists as they drove out of Portland.

Anti-fascists across America have long accused police of siding with, and protecting, white supremacists and fascists. Earlier this year in Newnan, Georgia, heavily militarized police charged at anti-fascists demonstrating against a neo-Nazi rally, pointing guns in their faces.​

What has it come to when people are seeing the Nazis as the good guys?

 

[bluesneakers]

What has it come to when people are seeing the Nazis as the good guys?

I don't know, and I don't understand how some people act like there are two sides and maybe we can compromise. Compromise with white supremacists! What would that look like - only a little genocide?

 

[Betty P]

Do you know why they were chasing you?

No. We were just someone they considered strangers driving down the road. Had been to an old family cemetery a couple miles down the road and were driving to another family cemetery at the other end. Public road. The usual Memorial Day activities. There were about 4 skinhead types with lots of tats, very hyper. Three followed us down the road. When we got to the end, another one came towards us from the other direction. It was some kind of alt/right group. They had a triangular-shaped logo and signs posted all around their property. Weird symbols spray painted in red on trees at intersections.

Most of the other property owners around there are from families that have owned the land since mid to early 1800's. I'm guessing they don't appreciate their crazy neighbors.

 

[varro]

And they were wearing T shirts, with of all people, Pinochete's photo on them. Why?

I would suppose they want people who disagreed with the current government thrown out of helicopters into the ocean, executed in the soccer stadium, or otherwise disposed of, rather than let people express their political beliefs without fear of reprisals.

 

[varro]

I was at the protest, on the west side of Naito Parkway, for most of the time they were there. There were about 1000 people protesting the 200-250 Proud Boys and other assorted fellow travelers. The group moved through downtown somewhat aimlessly, then I heard the flashbangs from about 2-3 blocks away.

Even though Joey Gibson is running for the Republican nomination for Senate from Washington, it seems odd that he'd be in Portland instead of trying to campaign.

He's allied with the Proud Boys, who like to drive around yelling at random people, then attacking them when they respond, usually three on one. Two examples:
Proud Boys 'a threat' to democracy, Portland group says
Portland Man Tells The Guardian He Was Randomly Punched in the Face by Right-Wing Goons Yelling “Build the Wall”

The wearer of the Pinochet shirt, Tuistala "Tiny" Toese, was one of the main players in these attacks. Toese was arrested at a previous protest for his role in the June 8 attack in the second story, but district attorneys didn't prosecute.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I was at the protest, on the west side of Naito Parkway, for most of the time they were there. There were about 1000 people protesting the 200-250 Proud Boys and other assorted fellow travelers. The group moved through downtown somewhat aimlessly, then I heard the flashbangs from about 2-3 blocks away.
So the counter protesters outnumbered the Proud Boys by 4 to 1. That's a significant number.


Even though Joey Gibson is running for the Republican nomination for Senate from Washington, it seems odd that he'd be in Portland instead of trying to campaign.

He's allied with the Proud Boys, who like to drive around yelling at random people, then attacking them when they respond, usually three on one. Two examples:
Proud Boys 'a threat' to democracy, Portland group says
Portland Man Tells The Guardian He Was Randomly Punched in the Face by Right-Wing Goons Yelling “Build the Wall”

The wearer of the Pinochet shirt, Tuistala "Tiny" Toese, was one of the main players in these attacks. Toese was arrested at a previous protest for his role in the June 8 attack in the second story, but district attorneys didn't prosecute.

So the counter protesters outnumbered the Proud Boys by 4 to 1. That's a significant number.

 

[bluesneakers]

Deputy fired over Proud Boys sweatshirt

The sheriff’s office placed Deputy Erin Willey on leave for an internal investigation in response to The Columbian’s reporting, after the office was shown a photograph of Willey wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with a Proud Boys logo. She was terminated on Tuesday after the investigation was completed.

The undated photograph, shared with The Columbian by an anonymous source, shows Willey wearing a hooded sweatshirt with a logo showing a switchblade, lipstick and an abbreviation for Proud Boys’ Girls, which appears to be for sale on the online storefront Redbubble, an Australia-based market similar to Etsy.

Willey is also shown in a second photograph shared on a Proud Boys-affiliated Twitter page, which included her contact information for buying Proud Boys’ Girls merchandise.​

 

[bluesneakers]

No special treatment for Nazis:

Metro no longer considering separate trains for white nationalists attending ‘Unite the Right’ rally

Metro is no longer considering running separate trains for protesters participating in the Aug. 12 “Unite the Right” white nationalists rally in the District, the transit agency’s board chairman said Saturday.

Metro Board Chairman Jack Evans had previously said that running a separate train was among options being weighed by officials.

“Metro will not be providing a special train or special car for anyone next Sunday,” Evans said.
...
Plans for the special trains were publicized by Metro’s largest union, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, which released a statement expressing outrage at the idea that Metro would provide “private” rail cars to “Unite the Right” participants.
...
“Local 689 is proud to provide transit to everyone for the many events we have in D.C. including the March [for] Life, the Women’s March and Black Lives Matter,” [ATU Local 689 President Jackie] Jeter said. “We draw the line at giving special accommodation to hate groups and hate speech.”​

 

[bwt42]

Our democracy should be strong enough to allow speech without being attacked. I don't care what you say. I'm not gonna beat you.

 

[bluesneakers]

Our democracy should be strong enough to allow speech without being attacked. I don't care what you say. I'm not gonna beat you.

The world has already gone after Nazis with physical violence, and the USA has gone against our own white supremacists more than once. They need to be shut up and pushed back before they gain strength and start acting on their racist idealogy.

Is it okay to punch a Nazi?
There are moral and practical reasons why using force to stop a far-right march is justified.

Unfortunately, it’s a hell of a lot more difficult to embarrass a Nazi. They don't have legitimacy to lose. In fact they gain legitimacy by marching unopposed, as if their swastikas and burning crosses were just another example of political free expression.​

By contrast, the far right do find being physically attacked embarrassing. Their movement is based on the glorification of victory, of white supremacy, of masculine and racial superiority, and scenes of white supremacists looking anything but superior undermines their claims.

And when it comes to Nazis marching on the streets, the lessons from history show that physically opposing them has worked. The most famous example is the Battle of Cable Street in London, in which a march by thousands of Hitler-era Nazis was stopped parading through East End by a coalition of its Jewish Community, dockworkers, other assorted locals, trade unionists and Communists.

​

 

[human]

The people that fought the Nazis in WW2 reconsidered the greatest generation. Lots died doing that.

Now people think Nazis are OK and have rights. SMH. They say that they are Patriots.

These Nazi people think the National Anthem is something to stand for, but yet they support that which people died trying to eradicate.

Topsy turvy Orwellian views

 

[Betty P]

Deputy fired over Proud Boys sweatshirt

The sheriff’s office placed Deputy Erin Willey on leave for an internal investigation in response to The Columbian’s reporting, after the office was shown a photograph of Willey wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with a Proud Boys logo. She was terminated on Tuesday after the investigation was completed.

The undated photograph, shared with The Columbian by an anonymous source, shows Willey wearing a hooded sweatshirt with a logo showing a switchblade, lipstick and an abbreviation for Proud Boys’ Girls, which appears to be for sale on the online storefront Redbubble, an Australia-based market similar to Etsy.

Willey is also shown in a second photograph shared on a Proud Boys-affiliated Twitter page, which included her contact information for buying Proud Boys’ Girls merchandise.​

If Deputy Willey is a supporter of this group, I suppose she won't mind giving up her career in law enforcement. Or in any profession for that matter. Or is it a case of "do as I say, not as I do"?

From your link:

The Proud Boys call themselves a “pro-Western fraternal organization” for men who “refuse to apologize for creating the modern world,” according to their founder, Gavin McInnes.

The group advocates for a return to a 1950s sense of traditional gender roles and includes “venerate the housewife” among its tenets. Its stated politics advocate for closed borders, and tend to skew toward the libertarian, including advocating for the closure of prisons, giving everyone guns, maximal rights to free expression, legalizing drugs and “glorifying the entrepreneur.”

Glorifying the entrepreneur?

 

[Jennifer17]

If Deputy Willey is a supporter of this group, I suppose she won't mind giving up her career in law enforcement. Or in any profession for that matter. Or is it a case of "do as I say, not as I do"?

From your link:




Glorifying the entrepreneur?

Who is going to pay the bills when taxation ceases? The guns?

 

[EuTuCroquet?]

Apologies if this was already posted upthread and I missed it.

Portland Cops Investigate Use of Force Against Counter-Protesters During Far-right Patriot Prayer Rally

Portland Police said they are investigating their officers' use of force at a far-right rally in the city over the weekend, following accusations they targeted counter-protesters more severely.

...

"This morning I learned of allegations of injury as a result of law enforcement action. I take all force applications by members seriously and I have directed the Professional Standards Division to begin the intake process regarding these allegations to determine if force was used and if so, was within our policy and training guidelines," Outlaw said.
​

 

[Jennifer17]

Apologies if this was already posted upthread and I missed it.

Portland Cops Investigate Use of Force Against Counter-Protesters During Far-right Patriot Prayer Rally

Portland Police said they are investigating their officers' use of force at a far-right rally in the city over the weekend, following accusations they targeted counter-protesters more severely.

...

"This morning I learned of allegations of injury as a result of law enforcement action. I take all force applications by members seriously and I have directed the Professional Standards Division to begin the intake process regarding these allegations to determine if force was used and if so, was within our policy and training guidelines," Outlaw said.
​

I hope that they do investigate this thoroughly. This can escalate into the same situation at Kent State a generation ago.

 

[human]

I thought Portland was such a great place to live?

 

[bwt42]

I saw upthread a picture of counter demonstrators with a red hammer & sickle flag. Should they be attacked as anti American?

 

[bluesneakers]

I thought Portland was such a great place to live?

Depends on who you are, where you live, and how much money you have.

 

[bluesneakers]

Portland Police Suspend Use of “Flash-Bang” Grenades After Reports That Several Protesters Were Severely Injured By the Weapons
The devices frequently cause injury and can even kill.

Police Chief Danielle Outlaw and Assistant Chief Ryan Lee say the Portland Police Bureau has suspended use of "flash-bang" grenades after reports that multiple people were severely injured as officers drove back a crowd of antifascist protesters on Aug. 4.

Outlaw and Lee say the devices should not have caused injuries if they were used properly and operated as intended.
...
Police say they do not understand how the explosive riot control devices could have caused the injuries that have been reported.
...
Despite the police bureau's insistence that the grenades should not have caused injuries, plentiful evidence exists documenting that the devices frequently cause injury and can even kill. The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon has repeatedly urged the Portland police to stop using these types of explosives on crowds of protesters because of the potential for serious injuries.
​

So... police officers didn't know shooting projectiles from a gun directly at the heads and bodies of people can cause injury and or death?