(Jay Syrmopoulos) Portland, OR – Trump supporters and antifa protestors squared off against one another in violent altercations over the weekend during competing protests which lead to three arrests.
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Source – The Free Thought Project
by Jay Syrmopoulos, August 7th, 2017
Self-proclaimed anti-fascists, who ironically use violence against those they disagree with, and members of the conservative Patriot Prayer group, who also appeared to be unafraid of using violence, engaged in combat with one another as pepper spray filled the protest area of Waterfront park on Sunday afternoon.
The dueling protests began early Sunday afternoon, with the antifa members chanting “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA,” while the Patriot Prayer group forwarding an agenda of “freedom and tolerance for people who think differently,” and also, “USA! USA! USA!”
The conservative group was adorned in MAGA hats and USA flag regalia, with roughly 150 Patriot Prayer members joining the protest, while the antifa group wore their standard black bandanas over their faces in an effort to shield their identity.
The dramatic footage from the incident reveals dozens of protesters violently squaring off against one another, with punches being thrown, but no serious injuries being reported. Three people were reportedly arrested following the violent altercation.
As we previously reported:
Over the past 18 months, there has been a significant increase in the frequency and severity of riots conducted by the extreme left. Their ranks are comprised of self-described anti-fascists, anarcho-communists, radical 3rd wave feminists, Black Lives Matter (BLM), and other social justice warriors (SJWs). They have attained great notoriety through their willingness to employ violence/intimidation, vandalize/loot private property, and engage in the very same behavior they accuse their ideological opponents of perpetrating. Tragically, innocent and non-interested bystanders often get caught in the cross hairs whilst they throw their violent temper tantrums. To add further cause for concern, these otherwise marginal groups are coalescing under the banner of “intersectionality” thereby effecting a swelling of their ranks, temerity, and menace.
When combined with a swelling conservative/nationalist agenda since Trump took office; is it any wonder that we are seeing such a devolution in political discourse and divide? Extremism and polarization are most certainly at a premium!
Interestingly, and in stark contrast to the usual heavy-handed police presence during Portland protests, police essentially sat on the sidelines and let the two groups pummel one another.
Willamette Week, who had a reporter on location during the protests, noted that Portland police allowed the melee to go largely unchecked, belatedly threatening over loudspeaker to arrest brawlers. By then, the fights had mostly stopped.
Police announced that any illegal activity would get the protesters kicked out of the park. But officers didn’t intervene when Antifa members started throwing small projectiles at protesters wearing Make America Great Again hats.
This stands in drastic contrast to the typical actions of the Portland police, as they have previously been adorned in full riot gear and formed a human wall to separate competing protest groups.
As the dueling protests neared the Morrison Bridge, smaller groups formed, that began to argue over topics such as white privilege and illegal immigration, which culminated into violent clashes.
There were reports that people in the crowds had their own bottles of pepper spray and were spraying each other during altercations, according to KOIN. After several protestors were treated for pepper spray exposure and injuries, police warned the groups to disperse.
Portland police published a series of tweets around 3pm on Sunday saying they were “observing groups fighting in Waterfront Park at Southwest Morrison Street…
“People fighting are subject to arrest for state and city law violations. … If you are injured and able to walk meet medical personnel at Ankeny Square at Portland Fire Station 1.”
By around 5pm on Sunday, the dueling protests and crowds had dispersed.
Aside from the societal damage created by such violence and intolerance, this extremely divisive and hostile environment plays directly into the hands of those who currently control the societal levers of power — divide and conquer at its finest!
If one is sincerely opposed to racism, sexism, and fascism then perhaps attempting to refrain from engaging in racist, sexist, and fascist actions would be a better option to achieve said goals. The fact these polarizing extremist factions utilize violence against those they are in opposition to indicates that their goals have more to do with power and control and less to do with “social justice” or “free speech.”
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