A pro-Trump caravan winds its way through downtown Portland clashing with counterprotesters on August 30, 2020. Towards the end of the caravan, a man who was believed to be associated with the caravan was shot and killed.
Jonathan Levinson / OPB
Far right groups gathered Sunday in Portland for an event they called the “Summer of Love,” even as the rally date was chosen to commemorate an extraordinarily violent clash last summer in the city.
Anti-fascists and far left demonstrators also gathered downtown to oppose the gathering.
Early in the day, organizers of the far right event announced they were moving it from Waterfront Park in downtown to a commercial parking lot in Northeast Portland. Hundreds of people with the anti-fascist group congregated at Waterfront Park, despite the relocation.
One of the two events anticipated at Waterfront Park this afternoon has been moved by the organizers to the Argay Terrace Neighborhood and is not expected to be downtown. PPB will be monitoring activities at Waterfront Park and the other event location throughout the day. 1/5
— PPB Event Messages (@PPBAlerts) August 22, 2021
A few of the demonstrators confronted street preachers, who were setting up near the anti-fascists. They eventually moved back from the group. Far right activists, meanwhile, set up a stage on a small trailer in the commercial parking lot in Northeast Portland.
Photos and videos streamed online showed members of the Proud Boys — a frequently violent
far right group — gathering with people setting up the stage. Among them was Tusitala “Tiny” Toese, who has been convicted of engaging in violence at protests.
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“We’re not going to stand down,” Toese said. He added that his group was “not playing this time,” but said they did not have plans to leave the Northeast Portland location Sunday.
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said Friday that despite predicted clashes, police will not necessarily be standing in between opposing groups. The Portland Police Bureau has frequently cited staffing shortages as making it difficult to prevent violence.
“The Portland Police Bureau is prepared to monitor this event and may make arrests for crimes when resources allow. That does not always happen in the moment,” the bureau said in a written statement Friday. “Just because arrests are not made at the scene, when tensions are high, does not mean that people are not being charged with crimes later.”
The bureau is working with Oregon State Police, the sheriff’s office and other local partners to address this weekend’s demonstrations.
Speaking at a “choose love” online event Friday, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and other metro area leaders broadly condemned the political violence that has become routine in Portland.
Asked if unchecked political violence is inevitable, Wheeler said there are discussions online suggesting people planned to come to Portland on Sunday specifically to get into fights.
“We’re telling them, ‘Hell no,’” Wheeler said. “If they come here, if they engage in that type of activity, we’re going to do the best we can, with the resources we have available, to hold people accountable.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Far right activists, counterprotesters gather Sunday in Portland ahead of anticipated clashes - OPB News
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