On an unnamed street in Portland, Oregon, an anonymous female protester takes the bullhorn.
“If you’re not angry, you’re not with me!” she screams. “Everybody needs to realize what’s going on in these streets.”
A crowd offers support. Then she gets the biggest cheer of the short speech: “I am not sad that a f—ing fascist died tonight!”
WARNING: The following video contains graphic language that some viewers will find offensive.
You should be paying attention. Antifa are celebrating the murder of a Trump supporter in Portland. They feel the same way about you and me. pic.twitter.com/XK4Czzseia
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 30, 2020
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That “fascist” is an as-yet officially unidentified man who was wearing a hat with the insignia of Patriot Prayer — a Pacific Northwest-based right-wing group usually described as far-right in its bent. The group had been part of a pro-Trump counterdemonstration on Saturday night during another night of rioting in the Oregon metropolis.
Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson confirmed that the individual “was a good friend and supporter of Patriot Prayer,” according to KGW-TV.
“They feel the same way about you and me,” Human Events editor Ian Miles Chong tweeted along with the video. Patriot Prayer is a particularly controversial group, but it’s not difficult to see how this wouldn’t be a takeaway.
Do you consider this a terrorist act?
Just the facts, though, as reported by The New York Times: “The pro-Trump rally drew hundreds of trucks full of supporters into the city. At times, Trump supporters and counterprotesters clashed on the streets, with people shooting paintball guns from the beds of pickup trucks and protesters throwing objects back at them.
“A video that purports to be of the shooting, taken from the far side of the street, showed a small group of people in the road outside what appears to be a parking garage. Gunfire erupts, and a man collapses in the street.”
Video shows how things transpired from a number of angles.
WARNING: The following videos contains extremely graphic scenes that some viewers will find offensive.
Here is video recorded from a distance of the shooting. pic.twitter.com/wtxItCDMay
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 30, 2020
BREAKING: A person was shot in the chest in downtown Portland. Unknown if related to antifa/BLM vs Trump caravan clashes. Unconfirmed if person is dead. pic.twitter.com/hS7im5Umlt
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 30, 2020
(Real) Medics tried to save the shooting victim in downtown Portland. It is a white male contrary to what antifa journalists and accounts said about it being a black victim. pic.twitter.com/jzE2ffqN73
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 30, 2020
Those in the media who tried to minimize the problems in Portland also didn’t look too good on Saturday night.
Antifa and BLM are cheering for the murder of a man last night https://t.co/AdspNwl4qR
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) August 30, 2020
Antifa is a domestic terrorist group, and journos who lie to cover up or downplay their crimes are propagandizing for a terrorist group. That’s a fact. https://t.co/Wqr0uGAt8F
— Buck Sexton (@BuckSexton) August 30, 2020
Reports are still very sketchy, including details regarding the victim and suspect. It’s not clear that antifa groups had anything to do with it.
However, Multnomah County Commission Chairwoman Deborah Kafoury, a progressive Democrat, according to the twice-weekly Portland Tribune, knew enough to know what the real issue here was: The murder of this man might make protesters look bad and make President Donald Trump look good before the November election, particularly given this was just days after Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler very publicly refused federal help from the White House.
“This tragedy will be used to justify escalating violence,” Kafoury said in a statement. “It will be used to paint an entire movement with a broad and misleading brush. And sadly, it will be used by the occupant of the White House to deepen divisions and fear.”
If a politician wanted to “deepen divisions and fear,” you could do worse than take a lesson from Deborah Kafoury.
One doesn’t need to defend Patriot Prayer to offer sympathies to a man killed during political violence in a city where officials have steadfastly refused to deal with a violent element among left-leaning protesters.
This must stop. We don’t know all the facts yet, but what we do know is this: A human being died Saturday — not a fascist.
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