A band of activists on Thursday railed against far-right groups that have promoted racism and white supremacy in Portland and other cities around the country, vowing they would continue to battle bigotry in the streets.

Denouncing hate-inspired rallies and violence, members of the city's anti-fascist movement drew parallels between last week's melee in Charlottesville, Virginia — which left one woman dead — and the ongoing clashes between white nationalist groups and their opponents in Portland.

The roughly two dozen people who gathered outside the Multnomah County Community Justice Center also came to show support for a pair of protesters now facing charges for their arrests at an anti-fascist counter demonstration last spring.

Activists gather on the steps of the Multnomah County Justice Center at1120 SW 3rd Ave. in Portland, to call for charges against two people arrested during the June 4 protests to be dropped.

"After the racist murders in Portland in May and in Charlottesville this Saturday we need to show that white supremacy and fascist ideologies are absolutely unacceptable and should no longer be protected," said activist Kelly Bauer.

Bauer was one of 14 people detained during a pro-President Donald Trump rally in downtown Portland on June 4 — less than 10 days after Jeremy Christian, a suspected white supremacist, allegedly stabbed three men aboard a MAX train who stepped in as he berated two teenage girls, one wearing a hijab. One of the men, Ricky Best, died on the train and the other, Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, died at the hospital shortly after. The third man, Micah Fletcher, survived with a serious wound to the neck.

On Thursday, Bauer and another counter-protester arrested, Jeremy Ibarra, rejected plea deals offered by the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, opting instead to go to trial.

Bauer faces charges of disorderly conduct, interfering with a peace officer and resisting arrest. Ibarra faces a disorderly conduct charge. Both are next scheduled to appear in court Sept. 8.

"Standing up to fascism is not a crime, but a moral obligation," Bauer said.

Local members from the National Lawyers Guild — which is representing Ibarra —Black Lives Matter, Industrial Workers of the World General Defense Committee and other groups also vocally condemned far-right rallies and the racist agitators they attract.

Thursday's event came a day before hundreds are expected to assemble at the Salmon Street Fountain on Portland's downtown waterfront in a show of solidarity with the community of Charlottesville.

"Today the fight for justice begins," said Justin Floyd of the Portland Anarchist Black Cross. "We will not back down."

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 II @shanedkavanaugh

--Olivia Dimmer

odimmer@oregonian.com

503-708-8630 II @DimmerOlivia