by Love and Rage Team

PORTLAND, OR – Built up for weeks, far-right groups like Patriot Prayer, a right-wing, pro-Trump group led by Joey Gibson, have descended on Portland for the planned ‘Freedom March‘. Gibson, a candidate for US Senate from Washington State, has targeted the city of Portland about nine times for marches due to its progressive, counterculture reputation. A Portland chapter of Patriot Prayer vowed that the “liberal-occupied streets” of the city will be “CLEANSED”.

This is the future that Joey Gibson, Proud Boys, & fascist scum want: the torture, executions, & institutionalized terror of the Pinochet regime. Never mind the centrists, the time to fight these Far Right nightmares is now!! Defend yourself, defend your communities! #DefendPDX pic.twitter.com/HcdXorl6t2 — New York City Antifa (@NYCAntifa) August 4, 2018

Antifascists and counterprotesters have also shown up to confront the groups, including the Proud Boys, uniting under Patriot Prayer’s banner. Reports on the ground indicate that at least 1000 people from various antifa outfits, to the DSA, union members, faith groups, and other antiracists, part of the Pop Mob, are defending Portland from fascists.

Big-ass black bloc today pic.twitter.com/3tywKmOvdn — Jason Wilson (@jason_a_w) August 4, 2018

The Portland branch of the Democratic Socialists of America, with a 200+ strong group, was reported to be one of the largest, if not largest, groups among the Pop Mob.

Much respect to @PortlandDSA for showing up against fascists today. https://t.co/QI6JU7AmMh — Hampton Institute (@HamptonThink) August 4, 2018

Though the Portland PD released a statement that they will be screening for weapons, and have disarmed some attendees, there remains a notable presence of them.

Hey @PortlandPolice at Patriot Prayer rally, dozens of guys wearing gloves with weights in knuckles. Wooden bats and axe handles being carried openly. But why no warning to leave area or be subject to use of force? — Arun Gupta (@arunindy) August 4, 2018

#Portland police are threatening violence against demonstrators in order to protect a group of far-Right rally goers who refuse to give up their weapons and go into into their own protest zone. This is how the rhetoric of free speech gets weaponized to actually attack it. — It's Going Down (@IGD_News) August 4, 2018

Before any media tells you how the Proud Boys of Patriot Prayer are free speech martyrs defending themselves:

(Photo from @FordFischer) pic.twitter.com/ERqoJxQfQw — New York City Antifa (@NYCAntifa) August 4, 2018

When it comes to weapons, is @PortlandPolice treating Patriot Prayer and counter protesters differently? Check out the live blog:https://t.co/nkOMzY3mBL — 🌷Portland Mercury🌷 (@portlandmercury) August 4, 2018

Police are now threatening dispersal weapons and ordering for dispersal of counter protesters. They say they have seen weapons, I have seen no weapons. No one is leaving it appears. — Shane Burley (@shane_burley1) August 4, 2018

We’re moving soon, Joey Gibson claims he has cut a deal with @PortlandPolice which means they won’t get searched if they enter a special barricaded area next door to the fountain — Jason Wilson (@jason_a_w) August 4, 2018

While the Portland police have also tried to keep the sides separated, there is consistency in their reported escalation of warnings against the numbers assembled to counterprotest.

Not surprisingly, so far law enforcement is primarily directed at the counter-demonstrators to the far-right rally in Portland today. pic.twitter.com/9FQS2Gr6fC — pdx law grrrl (@pdxlawgrrrl) August 4, 2018

Yes, of course they are. Instead of making PB/PP to GTFO, they are making the hundreds of counter protesters leave. Good luck with that @pdxpolice #DefendPDX #AllOutPDX https://t.co/FufP5wodtA — erin 🌹 pdx (@lolaswolf) August 4, 2018

Another aspect of the rally, something recently cooked up by militias and Proud Boys has been the concept of citizens arrest against antifascists whom they consider to be part of a terrorist organization. Groups have shown up with plastic ties to be used in these instances when counterprotesters are separated or snatched away from the crowds.

Portland General Defense Committee sharing the Pop Mob’s rendition of the Italian antifascist folk song, Bella Ciao:

We will tell them, yes we will tell them

Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao!

That our city is not for fascists

And all you nazis have to go#AllOutPDX #DefendPDX pic.twitter.com/Y2tR2VtiB8 — Portland General Defense Committee (@pdxgdc) August 4, 2018

We will be following the events as they unfold and updating this article accordingly.

And away we go:

Police overheard talking about throwing flash bangs at the feet of anti fascists who are currently vastly outnumbering the proud boys/patriot Prayer. #ALLOUTPDX #DEFENDPDX — AntifaSevenHills 🏴 (@ash_antifa) August 4, 2018

Police begin using pepper spray and flashbangs to disperse antifascist counterprotesters.

Note the explosive at the end of this video. That’s what cops are firing to disperse anti-fascists. pic.twitter.com/Odd3z8ZYVR — Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) August 4, 2018

I've covered 13 protests since the Trump election. This is the most, and earliest, use of flash grenades by Portland Police I have seen. Orders to disperse are driving protesters into traffic. — Leah Sottile (@Leah_Sottile) August 4, 2018

#Portland police have opened fire on a large crowd of antifascists w/ tear gas, pepper spray & stun grenades. Police are escorting the #ProudBoys through downtown Portland & have made arrests of antifascists, declared a "civil disturbance", and demand #Antifa disperse. #AllOutPDX pic.twitter.com/GvxCyb1rXb — Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) August 4, 2018

Charges that police escalation is what leads to riots often appear in report backs from rallies where police are used to protect groups of fascists. Reports coming from Portland today seem consistent with this.

Curiously, here we all were talking about the fash provoking violence and once again it's the cops that do it. pic.twitter.com/rbmr7MZWB2 — Daryle Lamont Jenkins (@DLamontJenkins) August 4, 2018

Portland cops are, over their LRAD, blaming objects thrown by antifa protesters for their burst of violence. Objects *were* thrown, but only after the cops charged a very chill group of counter-demonstrators. Complete bullshit. @UR_Ninja has it all on video.#DefendPDX https://t.co/dSDKgymkGQ — Miles (@Midnight_Miles) August 4, 2018

Some of the “non-lethal” means used to disperse counterprotesters. Police are making claims that objects were thrown at them.

Police have started using force against the counter-demonstrators to the alt-right rally today in Portland. pic.twitter.com/HUrc4wE0DQ — pdx law grrrl (@pdxlawgrrrl) August 4, 2018

Not a single journalist that I'm following on Twitter has confirmed this yet. #AllOutPDX #DefendPDX https://t.co/cQxo9pKsX0 — Zakir Khan (@Muzzakh) August 4, 2018

Why would people assume that police support fascism?

Never forget that the Portland Police Department employs literal nazis. Their continued violent support for out-of-town fascist and far-right thugs terrorizing Portland is unsurprising, while still horrific.https://t.co/PvAzQ1CKsb#DefendPDX #AlloutPDX #Portland #Proudboys — Always Antifascist (@RoseCityAntifa) August 4, 2018

Tusitala 'Tiny' Toese, a Proud Boy/Patriot Prayer dude implicated in multiple assaults in the Portland area, thinks police did a great job today. pic.twitter.com/Ubf5KhzocD — Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) August 4, 2018

Just watched a live stream where the Portland police started firing tear gas at the anti-racist protesters (entirely unprovoked) and then charged them, while the fascists cheered on the police. #alloutPDX — Seth Cotlar (@SethCotlar) August 4, 2018

Police attacking anti fascists with flash bang grenades and chemical agents as proud boys cheer. #defendpdx #alloutpdx #AlloutAugust — AntifaSevenHills 🏴 (@ash_antifa) August 4, 2018