Portland’s police bureau and the Oregon US attorney would not comment on the state’s paramilitary statutes, but earlier confirmed that carriers of an Oregon concealed handgun license would be able to go armed down to the waterfront.
Fears of violence are being hyped by leftists ahead of this weekend’s rally in Portland, Oregon, with many warning that the protest on Saturday risks turning into “another Charlottesville”.
Trump supporters will be attending Saturday’s pro-freedom demonstration hosted by Patriot Prayer.
Patriot Prayer was founded by the conservative Senate candidate Joey Gibson and its stated beliefs are neither neo-Nazi nor white supremacist. Gibson is rather a conservative Republican, or Trumpian.
But his critics say his events have attracted “white supremacist elements” and violence. Gibson is running for Senate as a Republican from Washington state.
The previous Patriot Prayer rally, held on 30 June, was declared a riot by Portland police after Antifa and marchers brawled. Officers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fired rubber bullets into the crowds.
Videos from the previous event show large groups of conservative protesters fighting off Antifa assailants. Gibson has promised that buses carrying attendees from Washington state to Portland for their “freedom march” will be manned with armed guards this time.
Participants will be carrying firearms, Gibson said. The city of Portland has said that there is nothing it can do to prevent the rally from going ahead.
“Oregon is an open carry state and unlike previous events, these groups are not expecting to be disarmed by law enforcement,” Heidi Beirich, director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center told the Huffington Post.
WATCH: Man gets cornered by Patriot Prayer and Proud Boys and is hit a few times before being led to police. pic.twitter.com/4PMst1iydB
— PDX Mike Bivins (@itsmikebivins) June 4, 2018
In a statement, Rose City Antifa, who have consistently organised counter-protests against Gibson, said: “We will continue to stand by our policy of no-platforming to prevent fascist and white supremacist from organizing in our community.”
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