In Portland, OR, over the weekend, Antifa attacked journalist Andy Ngo. He had camera equipment stolen and had to be hospitalized. Ngo has been at the forefront of a journalistic movement to document the power abuses of Antifa. In Portland, for example, the thuggish street goons have been encouraged by the mayor of the city to such an extent that even law enforcement feels helpless.

Just a few months ago, Time magazine named journalists as their “person of the year” given both the sustained abuse journalists are subjected to and the President’s ongoing verbal attacks on the press. While CNN and a number of prominent journalists have come out strongly to defend Ngo and denounce the attack on him, it is very, very telling how many blue check marked journalists on Twitter have spent the weekend either excusing or justifying the attack on Ngo.

Julio Rosas, of the Washington Examiner, compiled a pretty good list of blue checkmarked journalists and activists who have defended Antifa in this matter. It is pretty clear that many of the people who call Donald Trump a totalitarian or would be dictator are actually fine with totalitarians provided the despot is on their side.

Here’s Charlie Warzel of the New York Times justifying the Antifa attack.

Thread from a great journalist who routinely embeds w/ hate groups. This doesn't discount that the situation is fucked and that violence should be unacceptable. But there are also serious risks involved with putting yourself in volatile situations. Any journalist should know that https://t.co/KPmaiSrmoM — Charlie Warzel (@cwarzel) June 30, 2019

Here is the communications director for gay advocacy group Human Rights Campaign defending Antifa.

Violence is completely wrong, and I find it sad and weak to allow a sniveling weasel like Andy Ngo to get under one's skin like this, but I'm also not going to pretend that this wasn't Ngo's goal from the start.



I mean… let's cut the shit here. This is what they do. — Charlotte Clymer🏳️‍🌈 (@cmclymer) June 30, 2019

This is a staff writer for the publication Slate.

I’d argue what the fear mongering he’s done against Muslims plus the work he’s done to discredit hate crimes, helped create an atmosphere of violence that vulnerable people all have to live through just for being who they are. This is bad, but he’s guilty of worse. — Aymann Ismail (@aymanndotcom) June 30, 2019

This is a “free speech activist at Bernard Media.”

After relentlessly baiting and harassing antifa, far-right provocateur Andy Ngo finally got his wish of being milkshaked. Far-right simpletons like Tim Pool will milk this “victim” story for the next week at least. pic.twitter.com/7thyQ4wESk — Nathan Bernard (@nathanTbernard) June 29, 2019

Here’s a columnist for Middle East Eye.

Ok, in no way am I endorsing or condoning violence in the above tweet or anywhere else. I'm merely explaining why Andy Ngo was attacked. — CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) June 30, 2019

Here’s a guy who has written for Vice, Rolling Stone, and other publications.

And yeah, he was asking for it. ok bye — Dan O'Sullivan (@Bro_Pair) June 30, 2019

Here’s a freelance journalist declaring Ngo not a journalist because she doesn’t like what he reports.

He is not a journalist. He's a propagandist and advocate of scientific racism who goes to these things trying to start shit in hopes of getting attacked. If he was hit by something other than a milkshake or silly string, that's not OK, doesn't make him a "journalist" though. — Robyn Pennacchia (@RobynElyse) June 29, 2019

The list goes on.

Because these people do not like what Ngo reports or covers, they’ve declared him not a journalist and, therefore, open to attack.