Hundreds of supporters of the far-right Proud Boys group have begun to descend on Portland, Oregon on Saturday, as police prepare for clashes in a city that has become the epicentre of continuing racial justice protests that have at times devolved into deadly violence.
The state’s governor, Kate Brown, declared a weekend state of emergency for the city, saying Friday that “white supremacist groups” were travelling from out of state to attend an event the Proud Boys say was organised to “end domestic terrorism”.
[...]
As of noon, several hundred members of the loosely affiliated far-right group had gathered in Delta Park, with many carrying guns, knives, batons, baseball bats, and magazine clips, according to the Oregonian news site. Many wore pro-President Donald Trump clothing.
alJazeera
They want Trump to send federal troops to Portland.
While video on social media showed members of the Proud Boys confronting people accused of being associated with Antifa, no clashes were immediately reported.
Not yet.
Under the emergency declaration, a state and local law enforcement task force is authorised to use “proportional force”, including tear gas, to keep the peace. The city’s mayor had previously banned the use of tear gas by Portland police.
[...]
The pro-Trump, pro-gun rights Proud Boys publicly denounce violence, but members wearing trademark black-and-yellow polo shirts often brawl with left-wing opponents at rallies.
Clashes between left- and right-wing groups have escalated across the United States since mid-August.
[...]
Trump, who has made “law and order” a principal theme of his re-election bid, has singled out Portland as one of several Democratic-led cities he says are “anarchist jurisdictions” that should have their federal funding cut.
And the Proud Boys are going to help push that agenda.
The men-only Proud Boys group describes itself as a fraternal organisation that is “anti-racism” and “anti-political correctness”.
You can call yourself anything.
Civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) classifies the Proud Boys as a hate group, citing its members’ anti-Muslim and misogynist rhetoric.
...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment