Arrests made after 'Patriot Prayer' rally in Portland, protests continue in Vancouver

Washington Times

Police in Portland, Oregon, made seven arrests Sunday as antifa radicals threw rocks and smoke bombs at officers, creating chaos even after a scheduled Patriot Prayer rally was moved to Washington state in a bid to avoid violence.

The department also reported that photographers were being attacked by the antifa, the loose-knit “anti-fascist” groups known for their black masks and use of violence to shut down conservative speakers.

“Thank you for supporting the freedom of speech,” said one speaker, who wore an American flag draped over his shoulder. “I walked into downtown Portland at the Salmon fountain and I was met with hostility and hatred. I was assaulted, shot with a slingshot, hit, punched and kicked. The police were completely outnumbered. They couldn’t even defend us.”
Another speaker read Bible verses and led the crowd in prayer. As she spoke, the chants of protesters could be heard in the background chanting “Go home, Nazis” on video posted on Mr. Gibson’s page on Facebook.

Local news report

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Police took seven demonstrators into custody Sunday after a "Patriot Prayer" Free Speech rally was met with counter protesters in Portland's Waterfront Park.

Counter-protesters also gathered in Waterfront Park on Sunday afternoon, at one point pushing over a police barricade that separated the two groups. It appears one person was detained in the park before officers in tactical gear filed into the park.

MSN via CBS News

PORTLAND -- Violence broke out between opposing groups at an anti-white nationalist rally in Portland that left at least one police officer injured, CBS affiliate KOIN-TV reports.

Police made several arrests in the city's downtown area as two groups faced off over different views on white nationalism.
The Portland Police Department tweeted that marchers and residents should clear the area for their own safety, adding that officers reported protesters attacking photographers and that projectiles were thrown at officers. They said several arrests were made and at least one officer was injured.

First, let me say that no, I am not a Nazi or white supremacist. Second, let me say I know next to nothing about Patriot Prayer outside of the video posted a couple of weeks ago here on ATS, which was an interview with Gibson recorded after the group had to move their rally due to violence from counter-protesters. That's the sum total of my knowledge of the group.

With that said, I find the differences in spin on this story absolutely mind-boggling. The local news story seems fairly unbiased, stating clearly that the violence is by protestors not rallygoers, though their photo gallery is not quite so even-handed. And the article does something I personally haven't seen before: it lists the names of every person arrested, and what they were charged with.

The Washington Times bluntly states that the violence was by antifa members, and also states that "The [police] department also reported that photographers were being attacked by the antifa."

MSN, meanwhile, tries to paint a whole different picture. They insinuate that this FREE SPEECH rally was a white nationalist (which most people read as interchangeable with "white supremacist") rally, saying, "Police made several arrests in the city's downtown area as two groups faced off over different views on white nationalism." Wait, what? Free speech=white nationalism? What am I missing?

They then go on to insinuate that it was rally-goers who were violent (and, later, that Gibson basically egged it on). And they do this all without ever saying it outright, simply by how they constructed the story. Here's a good lesson on why we should all read the news very carefully and not take anything at face value. They lead off with the comment above about the two groups "facing off over different views of white nationalism." They then go on to talk about the violence that did go on and how "officers reported protesters attacking photographers and that projectiles were thrown at officers." In the next paragraph they say, "An opposition group held its own protest Sunday which was scheduled for around 2 p.m. local time but instead started around 12:30 p.m."

Both those statements are (probably, I didn't see it with my own eyes, of course) factual. But here's the thing: if you just skim this article, you're probably going to come away with the idea that the rally-goers themselves were violent. After all, the police reported people attacking photographers, and an opposition group held its own protest, right?

Except...if you pay attention, it says that protestors attacked photographers. Not rally-goers. The Patriot Prayer event was not a protest, it was a free speech rally. So the only protestors were those protesting the free speech rally. Yet the thrust of the story is that scary stuff happened at a white nationalist rally, where people were protesting white nationalism.

Makes my head hurt. So the next time you read something that pushes your buttons--whether it's slanted left, slanted right, or turned inside out--read it a second time with a super-critical eye. Then look for the same story from half a dozen sources. Then, if you're lucky, you might get a half-way unbiased account of what really happened.

Now the whole point of this thread--am I the only one that saw what they did there? Did I just notice bad writing and turn it into something else because I'm a writer? Or does the MSN article really tie itself in knots trying to imply that this was a big deal, and one that was instigated by the "alt-right"?

I might be mistaken, I haven't looked into this. I can't look at everything, I'm lazy right now. What I know is this: it's really hard to casually do or say anything anymore because people judge each other so regimentally. I'm afraid to even post here. My name probably triggers some people because it has "white" in it. I don't intend my username to denote skin color. Racism is wrong. Nazism is wrong. Doesn't matter what I say in all truth, and why? Because we're flawed. All of us. I've seen it on both sides in politics. This is one of the reasons I started voting independent some years ago. Maybe not all people are this way, but most of us are very categorical in our thinking. And because of rejection psychology, there's a strong incentive for us all to toe the same line. This is why I think anonymity is pivotally important.

If the people behind 'Patriot Prayer" are racists or nazi's or whatever, let it be known they deserve to be protested against.

EDIT: I looked up Joey Gibson:
www.columbian.com - Joey Gibson aims to ‘liberate conservatives’ via his Patriot Prayer group...

Seems ok to me. But I voted for Gary, so it's not uncharacteristic.

a reply to: riiver

Makes my head hurt. So the next time you read something that pushes your buttons--whether it's slanted left, slanted right, or turned inside out--read it a second time with a super-critical eye. Then look for the same story from half a dozen sources. Then, if you're lucky, you might get a half-way unbiased account of what really happened.

When a person becomes addicted to the media, they no longer use critical thinking.

The idea of media is to create reactionary viewers whom are invested emotionally, once there they are like a rabid dog, you can just point them in a direction and they will go in full swing without rationally approaching the situation.

I'm pretty sure this is why books are slowly being removed from schools curriculums, books and words teach people to think using words, screens not so much.

NOTHING sets off the Left more than praying in public.
They turn in to werewolves, they froth at the mouth and scream like the possessed that they are.
Talk about triggers: American flags, Bibles, neatly dressed well groomed people.
Out to oppress everyone else's rights.

Destroy the Norman Rockwellites!
(cuz they don't know all the racial justice stuff that I learned at University, Nazis ignoramuses are going to destroy the country with guns and religion and serve the Cheeto Hitler)

Sadly, in reality, people don't change their viewpoints-doesn't matter what the news says or their neighbor, or co-workers or marital partners.

These rallies are just to start trouble-they don't educate, raise awareness or change people's opinions. They are there for attention and to make them feel like they are doing something for their own personal cause as a part of a group.

Giving them attention is what they want-they love being arrested-something to brag about-makes them feel important-they have a raison d'etre. They are poor misguided attention-seeking lost souls.

We need to just let them be-don't respond with an anti-rally-and let them be-free speech and all. They'll stop like an ignored toddler pitching a fit if they don't get press.

So , all our lives we are told to be patriotic to your country of origin.

Than when you try to be patriotic, you get attacked and branded a racist white supremacist.

The USA seems like its lost the plot !

If only USA had a president that said things as it is , but wait YOU HAVE and he gets branded a racist!

Wow America was the leader in everything,
But now you have people just after derailing trump because they don't like him . Even if it means screwing your own country !

I'm from the uk and looked at America and thought you had it good and was jealous of you all .

Now it's just turned into a #show !

America's reaction to the Trump presidency has been a complete and utter embarrasment from the point of view of the rest of the world.

I'm from "the rest of the world" by the way and I keep hearing from so many angles, how Trump is an embarrasment, but it's not true, not by a long shot. The rest of the world at worst sees him the same as George W. Someone who probably shouldn't have ended up in the White House, "but hey, that's America for you".

But the reaction to his presidency. The falling over yourselves to denounce him the most. The rabid celebrities. The retarded protests (I would usually try to avoid the word retarded, but really, what other word is there?).

That's the real embarrasment.

You are collectively throwing your country away and it's sad.

Although, to be fair - TRIGGER WARNING!!!! - every country that gained independence from the British crown was eventually destined to fall apart. I thought the US of A was the exception that proved the rule, but I'm not so sure any more!

a reply to: riiver

The most disturbing line in your post is the first line.
You had to, or felt you needed to state that you were not a Nazi.

Just having a discussion today will get you a label.
Very sad state we are in today..

a reply to: riiver

I think what you have uncovered and are slowly coming to realize is that the MSM is a psyops complex designed to brain wash and effect mind control over the masses. They're tecniques are quite subtle and are very effective. Across the spectrum of outlets you will see that they routinely use identical wording on similar stories so that as you channel surf you hear the same words and phrases used over and over. It is a technique designed to create confirmation of the narrative in the mind of the viewer. They use subliminal messaging in the form of the news ticker tape running at the bottom of the screen which repeats the same words and phrases.

They also use graphic images and sounds to illicit fear in the mind of the viewer which keeps the viewer glued to the screen while at the same time inducing anxiety. I would strongly suggest tuning out and turning the tv off altogether and whatever you do, don't let your children watch the MSM news outlets. Its dangerous and harmful to their minds and nervous systems.

a reply to: riiver

So ... you're surprised that the Mooney Times, with it's well-known "right-wing" bias reported the story differently than CBS that most believe to have a "left-wing" bias?

Shocking.

a reply to: Bluntone22

Yes that struck me too.No need to be apologetic,OP, and no need to do the "I'm not a Nazi" routine! Unless you start your thread with something like "Hitler was right" no sane sensible,unpsychotic person is going to assume you are a Nazi just for posting about issues and events! The psychotics will think whatever fool thing they want,but who cares what daft-in-the-head idiots think?

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: riiver

The most disturbing line in your post is the first line.
You had to, or felt you needed to state that you were not a Nazi.

Just having a discussion today will get you a label.
Very sad state we are in today..

It seems like every thread discussing a protest turns into a "Nazi" / not "Nazi" fest in short order here on ATS lately, thanks to a handful of disruptive members who'd rather name-call than discuss so yeah, I felt like I had to say that lest I be labeled a fringe "right-winger." And yeah, that is really sad.

And though I'm really happy that hasn't happened--so far, at least; I haven't read all the replies yet--it looks like we're already getting distracted with Trump this and Trump that" when the whole point of the post was to check my own bias by asking: Am I imagining that this massive news-distibuting site, MSN, is spinning the events to make peaceful rallygoers look bad? Or is that my own bias showing?

I think that too is a sad comment on where we are right now.

Edit to add: I'm not pigeonholing disruptive members into left or right; the exist on both sides and in the middle too.

a reply to: Dem0nc1eaner

Thank you for that insight into what people outside our little box think. Real people, that is, not politicians or talking heads.

a reply to: riiver

I think Antifa and those on the left have been incredibly successful.

Free speech, public prayer, patriotism is now synonymous with being a white supremacist or a Nazi.

SMH

a reply to: TonyS

I absolutely agree with all of that. I'm a writer, and I write for a lot of health-related and self-help clients. "Turn off your TV" is a recurring theme for me. I have a TV, but it's seldom used for anything but video games. Or "Paw Patrol" for my grandson.

Its not just news that pushes the fear, either. Regular programming and advertising are dripping with fear--and condescension--too.

TV. The greatest brainwashing tool in history.

a reply to: Gryphon66

Not surprised at all that there's bias on both sides (though I have to say I've read very few things on either site--most of my news reading happens on sites like Medpage Today or BioPharma Dive.) That wasn't the point at all. The point was whether I was imagining bias in the MSN/CBS article, or if they really did use poor writing (putting the facts down in semi-random order) to confuse the issue and push an agenda.

Also a comment that, if so, yellow journalism goes beyond the sources that most would expect to be/assume are biased. After all, the MSN story was from CBS, who I've never heard anyone screaming leans left or right.

a reply to: DBCowboy

And that is very, very disturbing. Yeah.

a reply to: riiver

The media does love to spread the BS, doesn't it? They aren't even "counter protestors"; one, because there was no protest, but a rally, and two, because they are not legally, peacefully protesting; they are assaulting people, and are criminals/terrorists.

Nice, though, to see some sources more honest about it, and naming names!!

originally posted by: Justso
Sadly, in reality, people don't change their viewpoints-doesn't matter what the news says or their neighbor, or co-workers or marital partners.

These rallies are just to start trouble-they don't educate, raise awareness or change people's opinions. They are there for attention and to make them feel like they are doing something for their own personal cause as a part of a group.

Giving them attention is what they want-they love being arrested-something to brag about-makes them feel important-they have a raison d'etre. They are poor misguided attention-seeking lost souls.

We need to just let them be-don't respond with an anti-rally-and let them be-free speech and all. They'll stop like an ignored toddler pitching a fit if they don't get press.

You seem to be a bit confused. It wasn't the rally attendees that were violent, and being arrested, but the "protestors" who didn't respect the free speech rights of others.