Michael Bivins, 35, a former freelance journalist is facing charges for his alleged racist crime spree in the Spring of last year. Bivins was caught on tape setting fire to the Muslim Community Center of Portland. He seemed to be an equal opportunity offender. He smashed windows at Congregations Shir Tikvah and Beth Israel. He also is accused of smashing windows at a Black-owned restaurant and vandalizing Beth Israel with anti-Jewish graffiti.
The Portland Medium covered this news when it originally took place. One count accuses Bivins of willfully intimidating a Black business owner in Portland by breaking a window of the business. The eatery, Everybody Eats PDX, is located in the 130 block of Northwest 10th Avenue sometime between April 30 and May 1.
Michael Bivins also used spray paint to scrawl hateful graffiti on the outside of Congregation Beth Israel in Northwest Portland and broke a window on the synagogue’s campus on May 1.
He is facing an 11-count indictment in Multnomah County Circuit Court. All of the charges against Bivins are misdemeanors, unless prosecutors can prove aggravating factors, such as use of a dangerous weapon, injuries or an attempt to kill. It’s not enough that he is a terrorist and broke a window which was meant to terrorize the Black business owner.
Bivins lives in Portland as a journalist. He has expressed racist views online in the months leading up to the attacks. He is facing state charges and was indicted on May 17, 2022, in Multnomah County on 11 charges related to the hate-fueled violence.
Bivins started out just writing but became actively violent. He made a name for himself covering street protests and political extremists in Portland, often calling out and criticizing the racist beliefs he would later come to embrace. He worked for several local news organizations including the Willamette Week.
Bivins is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court Feb. 22. He is currently being held in custody by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and his state trail is scheduled to start Jan. 23. Bivins was sent to the Oregon State Hospital for an evaluation but declared fit to proceed in his own defense as of July, according to state court records. Bivins has no prior criminal history. Bivins remains in custody at Inverness Jail in Northeast Portland.
