Media, Portland Mayor Mischaracterize Assault on Federal Courthouse as “Protests”
“At least three federal officers in Portland may not recover their vision after earlier this week demonstrators, who have shown up in crowds of over 1,000 for more than 50 consecutive nights, shined lasers in their eyes and threw fireworks at a federal courthouse, officials said.”
As we’ve covered here at LI, antifa violence in Portland, Oregon, and beyond long pre-dates the George Floyd protests that devolved into riots in cities across the country. Yet the leftstream media would have us believe, despite all evidence to the contrary, that the antifa anarchists creating mayhem in Portland are peaceful protesters.
We are seeing the most stunningly blatant and deeply bizarre gaslighting by both Portland mayor Ted Wheeler and the media about what has been going on in Portland.
Apparently, they are convinced that no one can see the multitude of videos of the arson, vandalism, and violent attacks on law enforcement (and random journalists, et al.) because we are hearing that peaceful protesters are being assaulted by “Trump’s stormtroopers” when all they are doing is standing around peacefully protesting.
Um, no. Here’s what’s going on in Portland:
Groups Attempt to Break in to Federal Courthouse, Light Fires, and Vandalize Property Downtown https://t.co/VlJJJW66sc pic.twitter.com/CdITsaGeJr
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) July 22, 2020
Portland’s mayor, desperately hoping to toss responsibility onto President Trump for the violent criminal behavior that Wheeler has personally permitted, showed up at a Portland protest to slam the president for sending in federal agents to protect the federal building (which is on fire).
In a press conference today, Portland mayor @tedwheeler blames @realDonaldTrump & @DHSgov for the antifa riots in Portland. A reporter then points out the riots were already happening for 5 straight weeks before DHS came. https://t.co/mapGK7zRGx pic.twitter.com/rwIZobnYdV
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 18, 2020
So engrossed is he in his delusion that he actually says that he saw no reason for federal intervention—reminder: the federal building is on FIRE; he’s literally standing in the glow from the fire (via Twitchy):
Ted Wheeler watches arson attacks on federal building: “With 100 percent honesty I saw nothing that would provoke this response [from federal agents].” https://t.co/EzTx8Waj51
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) July 23, 2020
Also:
.@tedwheeler says, “I saw nothing that provoked this response” when asked about his thoughts on federal law enforcement deploying tear gas.
The building had been set on fire and rioters were throwing explosives. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/M21iOcDfLa
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 23, 2020
I’m one hundred percent certain that the actually peaceful Tea Party protesters never accidentally set one another on fire.
Rioters outside the Portland federal courthouse accidentally set their comrade on fire with a flammable device. #antifa #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/PLQbumM7fT
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 23, 2020
And remember the antifa moms? They are out there, too, not just standing between the arsonists and vandals and law enforcement, but some are reportedly actively engaged in lawless behavior themselves.
Some of the “moms” lauded in the media joined in on trying to break into the Portland federal courthouse. #PortlandRiots #PortlandMoms #antifa https://t.co/GdaIj0NzB7
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 21, 2020
Tragically, at least three federal officers may have permanently lost their sight due to these terrorists shining lasers in their eyes and setting off fireworks.
At least three federal officers in Portland may not recover their vision after earlier this week demonstrators, who have shown up in crowds of over 1,000 for more than 50 consecutive nights, shined lasers in their eyes and threw fireworks at a federal courthouse, officials said.
During Monday night’s confrontation, one person also threatened to cut off the water supply to federal officers inside the building.
Federal Protective Service (FPS) Deputy Director of Operations Richard “Kriss” Cline said at a press conference on Tuesday that a crowd of more than 1,000 “rioters” surrounded the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and began removing plywood coverings before attempting to throw objects – some of them incendiary – through the windows at federal officers inside.
. . . . “When officers responded to put out these fires, glass bottles were thrown and lasers – which can cause permanent blindness – were shined in their eyes,” Cline said. “We have three officers who currently have eye injuries and they may not recover sight in those eyes from those laser attacks.”
The FPS has purchased anti-laser glasses that federal officers are now wearing to prevent eye injuries.
Federal officers responded by deploying pepper balls and tear gas. Cline said officers observed one individual taking pictures of a water intake system to the Edith Green Federal Building, which is also under FPS protection. Earlier in the evening Monday night, a Twitter user said “So we can shut off the water to the buildings the feds are staying in to make it a nightmare for them.”
Meanwhile, ignoring terror tactics like these and the permanent injuries to federal law enforcement officers, the leftstream media is telling us that peaceful protesters just standing around holding signs are being “assaulted” and “attacked” by Trump’s “kidnapping” “stormtroopers.” It’s Trump who is causing this, we are told with a straight face.
Look at this delusional @nytimes front page – Trump to blame for "tension" in Dem run cities with surging crime rates and riots, attempts to break into and torch federal courthouse in Portland merely "unrest" https://t.co/9DBLnwq3yz
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) July 23, 2020
But wait, check the timeline:
Wait, didn't the Mayor of Portland @tedwheeler tell us the feds provoked the violence? Look at the timeline. https://t.co/0ycw9SprlP pic.twitter.com/Km5HoYzlA5
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) July 22, 2020
So what is going on here? I think I found a clue over at NBC News. In their article entitled, “The Republican silence on what’s happening in Portland is jarring,” NBC News can’t figure out why the right hasn’t rushed to the defense of the poor put upon terrorists in Portland. (Archive link here)
The Republican silence on what’s happening in Portland is jarring: If you’ve followed American politics over the last 10 years, you might be surprised that Republicans are more outraged at Liz Cheney than they are federal armed agents that just tear-gassed a city’s mayor.
What happened to “Don’t tread on me”?
What happened to states’ rights?
What happened to freedom of speech and assembly?
It’s easy to understand in our current politics why elected Republicans aren’t speaking out against the Department of Homeland Security forces in liberal, urban Portland. (Sen. Rand Paul is one exception.)
But if you lived through the Obama Era, this Republican silence is jarring.
In other words, they want law-abiding, Second Amendment-supporting conservatives to go in there and . . . what? Support antifa in their disgusting attacks on federal property and the maiming of federal officers? Support Democrat leadership who allow this lawlessness to flourish?
Please.
These aren’t actually peaceful protestors marching down a street and being attacked by dogs and beaten by police on national television as was seen in the 1960s with Dr. King’s peaceful marches and that actually swayed public opinion.
The opposite is being falsely peddled, now, in 2020: violent rioters, criminals committing arson and assorted assaults and other criminal acts are being presented as “peaceful” or, my favorite, “mostly peaceful” protesters. So, no, we won’t be rushing to their defense any more than we would rush to the defense of any other terrorist group committing and inciting violence.
Tom Knighton at Bearing Arms responds to this bizarreness brilliantly:
However, many on the left are now asking where the gun owners are. After all, they argue, we’ve said we want guns to combat oppression, so where are we?
Well, we’re not coming to save you.
You see, while I may take issue with the details of how the Trump administration is dealing with these criminals, these are criminals. They’re not political dissidents who merely angered the Commander-in-Chief. No, they’re people who took part in criminal acts against federal buildings and they’re being arrested over it.
There’s absolutely nothing about that which is oppressive.
. . . . I can’t speak for everyone, but when someone calls me racist, misogynist, bigoted, worthless, or any of the thousands of other insults I’ve gotten personally, I don’t feel obliged to risk my life to protect them from a government that was goaded into acting by your own lawless behavior. I’m sorry, but while I’ll defend people I disagree with, I’m not going to risk me or my family over your own poor decisions.
I guess that’s what happens when you are so regressive you are using a 60’s playbook in the internet age. We can see what is happening in real time, with no media filters, and we don’t like what we see from antifa (and their moms). Not one bit.
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Moms Of Basement Dwelling Antifa Members
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Andy Ngô tweeted the other day they aren’t moms. He said he’s seen them in the customary black antifa/nazi uniform.
They only changed to yellow to try to win sympathy. He also said most of those “moms” probably don’t identify as women.
Media is going to misrepresent this no matter what police do, so stop pussyfooting with these terrorists, shoot to kill, send a clear message that such conduct will not be tolerated.
For police protection, dispense special light filters to protect their eyes from lasers, Identify users of those lasers, and kill them. Identify make and model of those lasers and backtrack who bought them.
There is criminal RICO activity her, get the proof and make those behind this very sorry.
Getting the proof is the hard part.
Oh, and this is not RICO. Just plain old criminal conspiracy.
The Federal RICO Statute (18 U.S. Code §§ 1961) requires two predicate offenses committed by “any union or group of individuals associated in fact although not a legal entity;” Arson is one of the predicate offenses. The Statute was designed to punish and seize the ill gotten assets of participants in the criminal enterprise.
It is up to the Justice Department to decide whether there is enough evidence to proceed with RICO charges. That is not a judgment you or I can render.
Milhouse the moderator of all things…lol Even if someone is just venting and may not express themselves in exacting ‘legal argument’, Milhouse jumps right in there to throw cold water on their comments to make himself feel important.
JusticeDelivered, laser protective eyewear is available. Not having it deployed in these environments is beyond negligence. We need extremely harsh penalties for anyone using lasers or other eyesight damaging devices. I would support life-without. I would ask opponents of life-without for blinding, what would they want done if I willfully blinded them or one of their loved ones. Milhouse, pinpointing persons wielding lasers is not difficult AT ALL. Drones with certain electro-optical sensors can detect and track these individuals, pinpoint, tag and track them for arrest. Of course the rioters use tactics to make it look like any arrest is some kind of war crime (screaming, fighting, using trigger words) but we’re beyond the point we can afford to ignore this. If these criminals are willing to blind federal officers, they damn sure will blind you if they find your politics to be “wrong.”
The Portland mayor, Ted Wheeler, looks like a wimp pleading to appease the mob. But the mob went after him anyway. Funny how he couldn’t see the violence even when he was threatened by it. Good thing he was surrounded by his security detail.
It reminds me of the video of Jacob Frey, the Minneapolis mayor, pleading with the mob. That didn’t work, either. Good thing the mob didn’t have a guillotine handy, because they were uncontrollably violent.
Humorously some of the first victims of communism are the political leaders regardless of party.
I’m sure just before they string him up he’ll be saying “but I’m on your side”.
Like the kids in the apartment who had their windows shattered by antifa throwing rocks even though the one kid filming was doing a thumbs up and yelling he was on their side. Didn’t matter, you’re in the mob or you’re outside and that makes you an enemy.
The Portland weenie …..uh….mayor had his home vandalized with spray paint and who knows what else and he got tear-gassed when he went to join the riots. I guess it was the rioters that tear gassed him.
Oakland mayor’s house vandalized…not Portland…not yet…
Exactly. If, according to Wheeler and the dems, it’s so “safe” that the federal government doesn’t need to defend it’s own property, then Wheeler should be there without a security detail.
The benefit of the doubt can only be extended for so long. Mr. Wheeler is not deluded. He is at least an accessory.
Pepper balls and tear gas are inadequate to deter the terrorists. More vigorous measures should be used.
The treasonous media will scream bloody murder no matter what anyone does, so let them scream. Do what needs to be done.
This x1000.
We need to open up the extra large can of whupa$$.
The ‘Bearing Arms’ author is correct. Not going to help them.
I am just going to laugh at them.
Play Stupid Games == Win Stupid Prizes.
UNCW Professor Mike Adams found dead in his home.
https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2020/07/23/new-hanover-sheriffs-office-investigating-death-of-uncw-professor-mike-adams/
WILMINGTON — According to the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Mike Adams was found dead at his residence today.<p.
Deputies responded to a wellness check at Adams’ home address and found him deceased. NHCSO is investigating the death, but has not released any additional information, and could not confirm cause of death or if foul play was suspected.
The longtime professor of criminology and sociology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) was set to retire next week as part of a $500,000 settlement.
The settlement came as Adams was facing growing criticism for his social media posts and UNCW, in particular Chancellor Jose V. Sartarelli, was under increasing pressure to terminate his employment. Several petitions with around 85,000 total signatures called for his termination, and letters from his colleagues and fellow criminologists denounced his actions and called for his firing.
Due to Adams’ tenured status, and his previous legal victory over UNCW (which cost the UNC system roughly $700,000), the university opted for a negotiated exit.
Adams had supporters as well as detractors, including those who saw his online behavior as an exercise of his first First Amendment rights. Adams’ classes were also popular with many of his students, earning him generally positive evaluations and several awards for teaching, according to his UNCW curriculum vitae.
If I had to bet……..
MURDER.
Witch trials, warlock judgments, assault and battery, protestors have got to go.
My mistake. I often confuse peaceful protests with attempted murder.
Trump needs someone real aggressive at making commercials. I’d have a commercial of media and Democratic politicians saying, “peaceful protests” and then showing the riots.
The tagline would be “You can’t trust the media and their boot lickers the Democrat politicians.”
Another commercial: Show the fifty cops protecting the mayor of Chicago house while her city has gunfights every day.
The Mob is on their way to her house tonight as I type this
They’re mad she hasn’t defunded the police yet
Betcha lots of cops are on that street tonight
And she’ll blame Trump tomorrow for it
whatever happened to using water cannons to disperse a riot?
Water cannons were used during the Civil Rights Protests in the 1950’s and 1960’s. After that it seems their use was ended because using such things had become tainted by racism and looked real bad for the government to use.
Europe uses them a lot because they don’t have that history that ours do.
I think it’s time to bring them back but you can be sure the media and the Democratic scum would scream racism and show only pictures and video of black Americans being hit by the water cannon.
How DARE they give those stinky little non-bathers a bath!
those i phones are expensive replace if they get short circuited by getting too wet
How about they let loose attack dogs on the rioters. Dogs trained only to attack white people. Even the rioters would have to approve.
Israel uses water cannons, and also sometimes adds a very stinky substance to the water that makes anyone it hits stink for a long time.
The protests join a long train of semantic games, liberal euphemisms, and progressive corruption.
Our minivan is now badass.
THANK YOU TRUMP!!!!!
I assume that before releasing tear gas the feds gave an order to disperse. If so, Wheeler should be arrested for not having obeyed it, and thus participating in a riot.
And the feds should start talking privately to Portland cops about the orders they’ve been getting for the past year or two on letting Antifa run riot. If they can prove Wheeler gave such orders maybe they can make a conspiracy case against him. The real proof would be actual meetings with Antifa members, but that would be hard to find.
“Rioters outside the Portland federal courthouse accidentally set their comrade on fire”
Good to know there is always a silver lining.
I wish people would stop dressing up what’s going on by calling it “Gaslighting”. You know the people you are talking about (the younger ones don’t know what the hell you mean nor will they look it up) and the people you want to reach may not know what the hell you mean and don’t care.
Call it what it is which is lying to confuse and misdirect the public. This is direct and easy to understand.
Sure it’s journalism but we’re way beyond journalism these days. Most people doing this stuff or watching it wondering what’s going on never heard of the movie or the major theme. They would understand it if you explained it so why not do that instead of using a word that obscures the dangerous and treacherous actions the media and the politicians are involved in.
Even propaganda would be better.
I’d toss a herd of skunks into their party
Real protesters don’t need helmets or bricks or….
Close down the Federal Court house there. Move it 60 miles away. The lawyers would all have to move out of town costing Portland millions in taxes.