Far-right rally and counter-protests in Portland end without violence Saturday, as Proud Boy rally smaller, shorter than expected – By Noelle Crombie, Maxine Bernstein, Fedor Zarkhin and Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (The Oregonian/OregonLive) / Sept 27 2020
A national call for far-right extremists to descend on a Portland park Saturday did not result in the extreme violence with counter-protesters that state and city leaders feared.
Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency ahead of the Proud Boys rally, which organizers predicted thousands would take part in. In reality, 800 or fewer showed. They were outnumbered by counter-protesters at two nearby events.
At least two people who attended the Proud Boys event at Delta Park in North Portland were arrested on weapons charges, and Portland police were investigating the assault of a man who was knocked to the ground and kicked in the face while live-streaming their rally. But nothing approached the level of violence, including a fatal shooting, that broke out the last time groups on opposite ends of the political spectrum held simultaneous events in Oregon’s largest city four weeks ago.
Hundreds of law enforcement officers positioned themselves strategically Saturday to keep the groups apart, after Brown handed over joint police command to state and county forces for the weekend. Most neighboring stores and restaurants closed before the Proud Boys gathered at Delta Park.
