Conservative and far left protestors clashed in Portland over the weekend. As one group demonstrated another group of close to a dozen Antifa protesters approached them and threw smoke bombs. It was reported that two people were injured. No arrests have been made. This set of events took place on Saturday as conservatives were rallying for a gubernatorial candidate.
The conservative demonstrators waved signed supporting their candidate. They stated that their group included children and elderly citizens. Police said paint and large fireworks were thrown and ‘significant explosions were heard in the area’. No arrests were made.
Antifa protestors were dressed in black. Conservative and liberal protestors argued with each other. Smoke bombs, paint, fireworks and rocks were thrown. Video caught the activity. It shows a group waving black flags and lobbing smoke bombs at the other group during the rally near Southwest 3rd Avenue and Southwest Main Street on Saturday.
An earlier event may have been related where members of a far left group threw rocks from an overpass at People’s Convoy truckers. The sides taken care the same as what happened in 2020 during the protests to end racialized police violence. Antifa is on the side against racism and supported defending the police. Hundreds of everyday people marched in the streets around the country demanding racial justice after the murder of George Floyd by a white officer.
The city cut $15 million from the police budget during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. However, city lawmakers added $5.2 million back into police coffers last year. Clashes have been ongoing where some believe that many cops take the side of the conservative protestors. The conservative protesters from the current clash later left the scene and met police elsewhere at their request.
Protesters allegedly threw paint and other objects at the conservative ‘People’s Convoy’ passing through Portland. Police said that five people on the Northeast Glisan Street overpass above Interstate 205 hurled objects at cars and trucks shortly before 7pm. In the fray, one shot was fired but no victims were reported. No report has stated who pulled the trigger.
