After gathering downtown Antifa marched through the streets carrying a banner that read “The vote is over the fight goes on.” They were clearly not happy about Mayor Ted Wheeler’s defeat of Antifa-sympathizer Sarah Iannarone.
Antifa march through downtown Portland tonight chanting, “F— Ted Wheeler!” #antifa pic.twitter.com/rgUzmfy2bt
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) November 5, 2020
The group very quickly turned to vandalism of businesses, smashing windows and destroying ATMs as they passed:
There were a few workers inside at the time, running to the doors making sure they were locked. @fox12oregon https://t.co/3lTOpxaCmD
— Brenna Kelly (@BrennaKellyNews) November 5, 2020
This was apparently an anti-capitalist march, though I think they all are to some degree:
“Fuck capitalism” pic.twitter.com/1VKny4Mkka
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 5, 2020
That’s why ATMs are a frequent target:
Portland: Antifa smashing up property as they march through downtown. Video by @BrennaKellyNews. #PortlandRiots #antifa pic.twitter.com/0hbPf6Lgi5
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) November 5, 2020
Lots of broken windows as well. The official excuse is anti-capitalism but the real reason is that these are juvenile a-holes having a tantrum at the expense of the adults.
Portland: Antifa are breaking more windows in downtown. Video by @BrennaKellyNews. #PortlandRiots #antifa pic.twitter.com/wUjk2M0hfK
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) November 5, 2020
They also broke the windows of a Catholic Church:
Saint André Bessette Church has windows bashed out. Down the street, people throw things out of windows at this group. @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/YVknkdlbFL
— Brenna Kelly (@BrennaKellyNews) November 5, 2020
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office had something to say about that:
Saint Andre Bessette Church is one of the many buildings that had their windows broken out during this evening's riot. This organization helps those who are homeless, experiencing poverty, mental health issues and substance abuse. https://t.co/0iVqp3tYyk
— Multnomah Co. Sheriff’s Office (@MultCoSO) November 5, 2020
Some business owners weren’t having it:
A man stands guard with weapons-in-hand outside of the underU4men gay men’s underwear store. Businesses were targeted by #antifa tonight in their march of terror. #PortlandRiots https://t.co/DMZff322Xt
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) November 5, 2020
After all of this damage the whole thing was declared a riot and police moved in:
Quickly declared a riot. @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/GOeHoeirC6
— Brenna Kelly (@BrennaKellyNews) November 5, 2020
Officers moving in on rioters again. We’re asked to keep our distance. Rioters throwing things at them. So far I haven’t seen tear gas deployed or smelled it in the streets. @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/tyexShlRWO
— Brenna Kelly (@BrennaKellyNews) November 5, 2020
And for the first time, the Oregon National Guard was sent in:
The National Guard was activated for the first time to respond to rioting in Portland. #antifa https://t.co/HYacvA0oFi
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) November 5, 2020
The National Guard was activated for the first time tonight in Portland at the #antifa riot. In the past six months of rioting, the governor refused to bring in the National Guard. #PortlandRiots #antifa https://t.co/A3Rcrjkbov
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) November 5, 2020
Arrests were made:
https://twitter.com/KittyLists/status/1324242994774507520
Weapons were collected. Police later clarified that the arrested man had thrown a firework not a Molotov.
Loaded rifle seized in arrest. Deputies arrested a man believed to have thrown a Molotov cocktail at PPB officers. Deps. seized a rifle w/ a full magazine. They also recovered add'l magazines, commercial grade fireworks, a knife & spray paint cans. Arrest info to come later. pic.twitter.com/8kERARSSQw
— Multnomah Co. Sheriff’s Office (@MultCoSO) November 5, 2020
Eventually the mob returned to the courthouse where they made a lot of threats:
https://twitter.com/KittyLists/status/1324263429046071296
https://twitter.com/KittyLists/status/1324274392340160512
Andy Ngo points out that all of this chaos was pre-planned:
Just a reminder that the Portland antifa riot and march of terror was pre-planned: https://t.co/nGh4etgvcW
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) November 5, 2020
In an interview with Sky News, Ngo dubbed it a “march of terror.”
After Election Day, #antifa in Portland organized a "march of terror" through the heart of downtown where they smashed a Catholic church, dozens of businesses & property. The National Guard was activated. Watch my @SkyNewsAust interview: https://t.co/iZRj18mZl9 pic.twitter.com/k1FEPJjZos
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) November 5, 2020
11 people were arrested in Portland last night. Willamette Week reported today on what it called “indiscriminate vandalism” by which they mean that the group broke things belonging to other leftists:
Among the small businesses hit: the downtown store of clothing brand Wildfang, which sells shirts reading “Wild Feminist” and androgynous jumpsuits. The store has branded itself as feminist and LBGTQ-friendly, advocating for reproductive rights and immigration.
The seemingly indiscriminate vandalism reflected frustrations among some of the city’s most strident activists, who appear as irked with mainstream Democrats as with the White House.
The anti-fascist group Popular Mobilization, or Pop Mob, organized tonight’s march to protest what it described as attempts by Trump “to stage a coup in the face of a projected Biden win. But this ain’t over—no matter how this goes, Portland’s coming out to show these rotting institutions we’re fed the fuck up.”
The backdrop of all of this is that the Portland City Council is set to vote today on further defunding of the police:
The council has a hearing at 2 p.m. to decide whether to slash another $18 million from the police budget. They already cut $15 million from Portland Police Bureau (PPB) budget in June amid historic, nationwide anti-police protests following the death of George Floyd…
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said the cuts would be detrimental to the safety of the community.
“An additional cut of $18 million would require significant layoffs and affect the police bureau’s ability to respond to 911 calls,” he said. “In addition, the proposed budget reductions also will reduce training and diversity initiatives, increase response times, slow investigations, and challenge the police bureau’s ability to meet our community’s expectations and needs.”
The fewer police they have on hand, the more the violent extremists will be in charge of the streets. That’s what the mob wants and its appears to be what some members of the City Council want as well.
Two videos to close this out. The first lays out the vote that will take place today. Two City Councilmembers have already said they are in favor of the cuts, three others including Mayor Wheeler haven’t said how they’ll vote. Below that is another report on today’s vote which features an interview with the head of the Portland Police Association. He argues that cutting the budget by an additional $18 million will result in 100 fewer officers.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member