Michael Strickland, the 36-year-old man accused of pulling a gun on Don't Shoot PDX protesters marching outside Portland's Justice Center, had a round in the chamber of the loaded handgun he swept in front of the crowd and five other magazines of ammunition on him Thursday night, according to court records.

Multnomah County deputy district attorney Kate Molina Friday successfully argued for Strickland's bail to be set at $250,000 after two felony counts of unlawful use of a firearm were added to misdemeanor allegations of menacing and second-degree disorderly conduct.

Four sheriff's deputies then placed him in handcuffs and led him to jail directly from arraignment court at the Justice Center.

Strickland had an extended clip in what appeared to be a Glock 26 that he swept at chest level multiple times in front of protesters and a plain-clothed Portland police officer, the prosecutor said.

Hundreds of protesters had gathered downtown to demonstrate against the deaths of two black men in back-to-back police shootings this week in Minnesota and Louisiana.

Portland Officer Branden L. Combs was in Chapman Square during the protest and heard people running by him yelling, "Gun! Gun!'' and "He's got a gun,'' according to a probable cause affidavit.

One of the protesters told police that he had recognized Strickland from other demonstrations where he had tried to "incite or instigate others," and attempted to tell Strickland to leave Thursday night. That's when he saw Strickland reach under his shirt and pull out the weapon, the affidavit said.

Officer Combs was standing about 20 to 25 yards from Strickland when he saw him sweep the crowd with the firearm, Molina wrote in the affidavit.

Once Strickland was arrested, police found an extended clip in the handgun, a round in the chamber of the gun, plus two magazines of ammunition in a belt pouch on his left side, two magazines in his front right pants pocket and one magazine in his left front pants pocket, Molina said. He also had a pocket knife in his right front pants pocket.

Strickland's attorney Chris Trotter countered that Strickland was a journalist with a concealed weapons license who "has every right to protect himself.''

He said he'd never heard of such a high bail sought for a defendant with no past criminal record. Trotter accused the district attorney's office of "making an example'' of his client in front of a courtroom with media and news cameras, and amid a climate of heightened sensitivity to guns.

Molina said she took offense at the characterization.

"Given that Mr. Strickland pulled a gun on a crowd of people in front of the steps of the Justice Center" while heavily armed, and has a past police report alleging "possibly race-based threats'' against an attendee at a Portland vigil for the victims of last month's nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, the heightened bail is justified, Molina responded.

The Portland incident unfolded as gunfire erupted Thursday night during a Texas protest, killing five Dallas police officers and wounding seven others. Two civilians also sustained injuries.

Multnomah County Circuit Judge Leslie G. Bottomly set Strickland's bail at $250,000, citing the seriousness of the allegations and to ensure that he returns to court.

Strickland, who films videos for the website, "Laughing at Liberals,'' was captured on other people's videos grabbing a gun from his waistband and sweeping it across Southwest Third Avenue, yelling, "Get the hell back!'' as marchers approached.

People in the crowd yelled, "He's got a gun!'' and several walked up to him, shouting at him to put the firearm away and leave.

Strickland told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Thursday night that he was surrounded by "anarchists'' who were pushing him and telling him to leave. Strickland told court authorities he was videotaping the protest and that protesters went after him. He also said he's self-employed and that part of his income comes from filming controversial events.

Last month, police were alerted to harassing text messages and phone calls that Strickland allegedly made to a person who had attended a candlelight vigil in Portland for the 49 victims of the June 12 nightclub shooting in Orlando. The vigil participant asked Strickland to leave, as he believed that Strickland was a "white nationalist anarchist.'' In the days that followed the vigil, the participant began receiving numerous threatening text messages and phone calls, which cited the vigil participant's race, Molina wrote in her motion for the bail increase. Strickland has not faced any criminal charges stemming from that incident.

The two counts of unlawful use of a firearm added Friday accuse Strickland of intending to use a gun unlawfully against protesters and the undercover officer, and threatening the use of the firearm, according to court records. If he makes bail, he must not possess any weapons as he awaits trial, the judge ordered. His next court date is July 18.

Strickland's lawyer called the state's allegations "conflated and confused.'' It's Strickland, Trotter said, who has been previously assaulted during his work.

Strickland declined comment in court, often hiding behind an unidentified man who attempted to block other media from photographing Strickland.

Portland Police Chief Mike Marshman said earlier Friday that Strickland's alleged actions during a peaceful protest were "fully unacceptable," and he praised his officers for taking Strickland into custody and allowing the march to continue without violence.

Many in the area say they recognize Strickland and his pursuit of self-branded journalism through his YouTube channel "LaughingAtLiberals." According to the website, the channel has more than 21,000 subscribers.

The channel claims its videos specialize in "exposing the lunacy of the left, and various other tidbits." The channel does not identify Strickland as its producer, but people have identified him through social media.

Liela Forbes, the president of Portland State University's Associated Students, has been the subject of a LaughingAtLiberals video after a Students for Trump event and counterprotest. Forbes, who took part in the counterprotest, said she recognized Strickland at Thursday night's Don't Shoot PDX demonstration.

"When I saw him separating from the audience I started telling folks around me who he was, and then someone shouted 'He's got a gun' and I turned and looked back and saw him waving it," she said.

State records show Strickland registered in 2014 a corporation called the 2nd Amendment Action Center, but the nonprofit was dissolved by the state. The state dissolves corporations when it doesn't receive annual reports or fees, and doesn't notify the state of changes to its registered agents or offices, according to state law.

Staff Writers Lizzy Acker, Tony Hernandez and Jim Ryan contributed to this report.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian