Bloody street fights erupted in downtown Portland, Oregon late Saturday, when more than 150 marchers with the right-wing protest group Patriot Prayer began beating antifascist protesters with flagpoles and other objects.

Heavily armed police were called in to subdue the riot, which broke out after Patriot Prayer supporters arrived in Portland to attend a rally led by Republican candidate for US Senate in Washington state Joey Gibson.

Gibson, far-right activist, has a track record of organizing political rallies that have attracted counter-protests from anti-fascist groups. He has said that the city of Seattle “despises patriots” and “will spit in your face for loving the constitution.”

He also refuses to disavow the Proud Boys, an alt-right fraternity, who are his most ardent supporters.


Photos and video from the melee showed violent acts carried out by both groups, although some observers said supporters of left-wing groups were receiving harsher treatment by police.

pepper ball fire from FPS officers in Schrunk – aimed exclusively at antifascist counterprotesters pic.twitter.com/xmz7YdjIs0 — Jason Wilson (@jason_a_w) July 1, 2018

Some Patriot Prayer members wore the colors of the Proud Boys.

Proud Boys walking with police protection. Seconds later police seemed to allow them attack protesters, beating them on the ground. Very little police intervention during Proud Boy attacks. I don't know why this happened. pic.twitter.com/U78dyuDZwU — Shane Burley (@shane_burley1) July 1, 2018

Patriot Prayer members armed themselves with flagpoles, weapons that the federal police allowed the group to keep, according to the Willamette Week. The Portland police, meanwhile, confiscated all weapons, including flagpoles, from antifascist demonstrators.

this was the biggest brawl – not the greatest shot but you can see PP guys charging into the fray with flagpoles and sticks pic.twitter.com/DFQW7UBoXA — Jason Wilson (@jason_a_w) July 1, 2018

Last week, federal police were in a stand-off with Portland’s leftist protesters drew after they national headlines for blocking a federal immigration office. At least nine people were arrested.