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Antifa and Proud Boys Violence in Portland
The Portland Police Bureau issued, I’ll call it a travel advisory, warning residents of the Portland Metro area that Antifa and the Proud Boys were going to demonstrate in downtown Portland last week. To no one’s surprise, there were violent clashes between the two groups. They both claim the high ground when it comes to virtue but, in reality, they are no more virtuous than tavern brawlers that have forsaken the tavern for fighting in the streets.
The Portland City Council, including the Mayor, have no idea on what to do about this public safety problem, other than to blame the police for being too tough or not tough enough when these two street gangs meet downtown. The media is no different in playing the blame game.
Tactics have changed in demonstrations. In the past, the violent demonstrators formed up behind peaceful demonstrators to make it more difficult for police officers to get to them as they smashed windows, set dumpster fires, and engaged in assaults. Now they mix with peaceful demonstrators and, in some areas, are on the front line.
Protecting individuals in a demonstration is still a reactive problem for the police. An officer cannot know when an assault will take place and the actual assault is over in a matter of seconds. Trying to apprehend someone is difficult at best and, in some cases, does not happen until video is reviewed and an arrest is made days after the incident.
You can protect yourself by staying away from downtown Portland. Better yet, residents of the Portland metro area should vote with their feet. They can put pressure on the Mayor and City Council by refusing to shop, dine, attend concerts, or finding a doctor, dentist, stockbroker, and attorney that does not have an office in downtown Portland. The Proud Boys and Antifa don’t pay to play in downtown Portland and neither should you.
I have provided three links to Oregonian articles that provide some info on the tensions between the Police Bureau and elected city officials, as well as the aftermath of the last street fight in downtown Portland.
Published in Policing
First off, standing next to people doing violence is supporting them. If they are acting as a shield, they should stop.
Second off, I think all it takes is one strong suppression of this sort of thing, with the perps being caught, maybe hurt, but certainly hit with huge life ending charges (5 years in state prison, with 15 years probation).
Or, we can wait for other people to take matters into their own hands. If the police, who are the people who are supposed to keep order, at danger to themselves, I might add, are unwilling or not allowed to act, something else will happen. If I own a store, and people keep smashing my windows, shotgunning them is a valid response. If the government cannot use its “monopoly” on violence to protect citizens, then at some point, said citizens will fight back.
Then we can see real blood on the streets. Once gangs start going after each other, Antifi might want to make sure no one finds out where they live. That is what happens when civilization breaks down.
It’s not surprising that law enforcement in the surrounding communities is no longer giving assistance to the Portland police department.
Welcome to the logical outcome of identity politics.
I think it started in Portland about 30 years ago, when then mayor and screaming “liberal” Bud Clark began leading mass bicycle rides downtown on Friday nights, ignoring all traffic laws and blocking streets. There was no point to the rides other than showing their defiance of public norms of conduct. These “demonstrators” are Bud Clark’s direct descendants.
It is sadistic, cruel, and evil to draw a moral equivalency to self-defense and offense.
It reminds me of the street brawls between Nazis and Communists in the Weimar Republic. Are we going down that road?
Portland I (finally) getting the negative publicity that is its due. Mayor Wheeler got the worst of his twitter battle with Sen. Cruz.
https://www.redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2019/07/02/portland-mayor-ted-wheeler-tries-one-ted-cruz-antifa-issue-fails-miserably/
If you’d like a somewhat different take on Portland, call up my post called “Portland Through the Eyes of a Conservative.”
If I were as smart as Arahant, I would have provided a hot link. Alas, I’m not as smart — but then who is?
I think Arahant will swoop down from wherever it is he resides, probably somewhere up North near the Canadian border, where they accept older gentlemen with ponytails, and give me some help. He always does. That’s why Arafat is the MVP of Ricochet.
I’m not vying for MVP, but here’s the link:
Portland Through the Eyes of a Conservative
Thanks, Ric.
That was a nice post. I had to chuckle, because when I glanced at the picture of the pioneers’ statue, for a second it looked like the father was taking a selfie.
Portland, United States – Dec 19, 2017 : The statue, which is represented a pioneer family and called The Promised Land at Lownsdale Square
Someone ought to put a camera in his hand.
Only if the Nazis were led by Black men of Cuban descent, or if you trust the judgement of Big Tech and the SPLC.
Brian, Could you inform me better? Now the Proud Boys may be rude thuggish like individuals but have they attacked people for the signs they are carrying, or taking pictures of them or have they broken up demonstrations by beating people up?
I had no idea ole’ Yasser was even a member!