On August 22nd last year, roughly three hundred far-right activists showed up to a protest in downtown Portland. Their ranks included Proud Boys, as well as members of Patriot Coalition and Patriot Prayer. The event was billed as a “Back the Blue” rally in front of the city’s Justice Center, which had been a focal point for months of anti-police brutality demonstrations.
Some among the hundreds of right-wing attendees open-carried firearms, brought shields adorned with QAnon slogans and wielded hand-held weapons. These included batons, baseball bats and bear mace, a particularly volatile form of pepper spray originally designed to protect campers from grizzly bear attacks. Violent clashes with left-wing counter-protesters ensued (one of the authors of this article had his hand broken after being assaulted by a Proud Boy while reporting on the protest).
Footage from a bodycam found at the scene of a riot in Portland last year shows prominent far-right figure, Alan Swinney, discussing plans for violence and fundraising to buy weaponry.
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