In addition to Patriot Prayer, Proud Boys and antifa descending on Portland on Saturday, clowns will be joining the masses and having a dance party.

Unpresidented Brass Band, a marching band created about a year and a half ago in response to the political climate, is organizing the event "Send in the Clowns!" which encourages "colorful folk" to protest Patriot Prayer's Saturday rally.

"I love being colorful and silly," band organizer Miles Thompson said, "and that's something that can really go a long ways towards distracting from violence and towards poking fun at things and making things a little less serious."

Joey Gibson, a U.S. Senate candidate in Washington and leader of Patriot Prayer, is planning on leading supporters in a rally Saturday at the waterfront in downtown Portland. Counter-demonstrations — including this one with clowns — have been scheduled in response to Gibson's rally.

Thompson said he hopes the clown and band protest will help provide an alternative to violence. He said they will join Popular Mobilization in a march to the waterfront where Gibson's rally is scheduled for noon. Thompson said he expects around 40 or more clowns to show up.

Unpresidented Brass Band has been going to marches and rallies for more than a year to bring joy and combat protest fatigue, Thompson said. He said he hopes the Saturday protest will bring a strong peaceful response to the people — mainly Patriot Prayer, he said — bringing violence into the community.

A post on the clown event page reminds protest-goers that oil-based face paint, lotion and sunscreen can be problematic if exposed to pepper spray or tear gas.

"Consider just painting your cheeks with colorful dots or stripes, and keep makeup away from your eyes, just to be safe!" the post reads.

Clowns are not a new sight to events like these. Previously, clowns have been seen at demonstrations in Oregon and other states. Micah Fletcher, survivor of the MAX train stabbing, dressed like a clown some weeks before the attack in an attempt to ease tensions between demonstrators at a Patriot Prayer rally.

Local organizations have been vocal in their response to Gibson's rally. Popular Mobilization will be gathering at 10:30 a.m. at City Hall for a rally before moving to the waterfront. The Facebook page refers to the organization as a group of concerned Portlanders united around inspiring people to resist the alt-right. Antifa groups also plan to meet at the waterfront at 11:30 a.m., according to another Facebook page.

"We may not be muscle bound gym rats, we certainly aren't the sort of sadistic bullies we are facing, but never the less we have to go out there and be the ones willing to physically protect people already under attack in our communities," the description reads. "We are regular people called to do extraordinary things."

The description also says counter-demonstrators will not apologize for the use of force to keep the community safe from right-wing violence.

A coalition of more than 30 local and regional organizations released a joint statement prior to the rally calling on the governor, mayor and other city officials to denounce racist and sexist violence from both Patriot Prayer and Proud Boys.

"Elected officials must not abandon the Portland community when we are under attack," the statement reads.

Activists from Charlottesville also issued a statement. It says Saturday's rally resembles last year's Unite the Right white supremacist rally in Virginia.

"Charlottesville understands all too well what it means to have fascist agitators bring choreographed terror into our community," the statement reads. "We remember bracing ourselves last year against the threat of white supremacist attacks cloaked as free speech. We send solidarity and love to Portland, particularly to communities most targeted by the Islamophobic, transphobic, anti-immigrant, genocidal agenda of Saturday's fascist event."

Gibson, meanwhile, has said his group doesn't promote white supremacy or racism.

Portland police said they will have weapon-screening stations at the waterfront Saturday, as well as dogs that can detect explosives.

--Hannah Boufford

hboufford@oregonian.com / @hannahboufford