Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) slammed Antifa and their radical destruction following riots that plagued the city on New Year's Eve.
"My good faith efforts at de-escalation had been met with ongoing violence and even scorn from radical Antifa and anarchists. In response, it will be necessary to use additional tools and to push the limits of the tools we already have to bring the criminal destruction and violence to an end," Wheeler explained during an address. "Lawlessness and anarchy come at great expense and with great risk to the future of our community."
The mayor said he is now at the point where he wants to "push back" against those who are "set on destroying our community."
"In closing, once again, I condemn anyone who engages in violence or criminal destruction no matter their ideology," said Wheeler.
In his new year's presser, Portland Mayor @tedwheeler admits that his efforts to de-escalate & compromise with antifa have failed to yield results. He condemns the violent extremist movement by name & calls for more to be done. https://t.co/1MJhHOxO1u pic.twitter.com/HtsSSM3dzz
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) January 2, 2021
Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese described the New Year's Eve riots, where Antifa focused on destroying the city's Justice Center, which houses Portland Police Bureau's (PPB) Central Precinct, the PPB headquarters, and the Multnomah County Detention Center, one of the county's two jails.
"I want to start out by saying the violence last night was criminal and reprehensible," Reese said.
When Reese arrived at the Justice Center around 10:30 p.m. PST Friday night, he saw "a fire at Second and Main, store windows that had been broken in and out, and debris filling the street in front of the central precinct, where it was apparent the building itself had come under attack."
Antifa thugs attempted to break into the Justice Center but were unsuccessful. Instead, they reverted to launching commercial rockets and a Molotov cocktail into the building, Reese explained. Federal police attempted to help out but they also "came under attack."
"As [the federal police] tried to push people away from the fence, they were attacked with commercial rockets, fireworks, and bottles filled with paint and rocks the size of baseballs," the sheriff said.
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The Portland Police Department responded to protect federal police, but they too came under attack.
"It was absolutely criminal in nature what was occurring in the streets. And, even though a riot had been declared and people were ordered to disperse, it didn't appear anyone heeded that direction," Reese recounted. "We had to try and escalate and move back but we came under attack."
Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese spoke about the new year's eve riot in downtown Portland where antifa ransacked and looted businesses, started fires, assaulted responding law enforcement, and tried to break into the Justice Center. pic.twitter.com/1iutoyagup
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) January 2, 2021
Here is a look at some of the destruction that took place:
A mob of antifa pursued a group of retreating officers at the new year’s eve riot in downtown Portland last night. Law enforcement used pepper spray to try and stop them. pic.twitter.com/XDWn5HFs8n
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) January 1, 2021
Antifa destroyed another Starbucks & other downtown businesses in their Portland riot. pic.twitter.com/w1aAvOVZ4Z
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) January 1, 2021
In downtown Portland outside the Hatfield federal courthouse, antifa rioted for New Years by launching mortar fireworks and projectiles at police. #PortlandRiots #antifa pic.twitter.com/c66b4WJdjL
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) January 1, 2021
Antifa in Portland started multiple fires and tried to break into the federal courthouse again to burn it down. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/KV5Wp1JbK7
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) January 1, 2021
Another street fire started by antifa in downtown Portland for their new year riot. Rioters cheer in the background. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/D97TftGfl9
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) January 1, 2021
Antifa started multiple fires at their riot in downtown Portland after smashing up businesses. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/TH7lryN9f2
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) January 1, 2021
NEW YEAR’S EVE DESTRUCTION: Capitol Hill biz owners and neighbors are fed up with black bloc marchers wrecking the city. The owner of Cafe Argento says they’re being targeted for just trying to improve the neighborhood.
— Jonathan Choe Journalist KOMO News (@choeshow) January 2, 2021
Story 6pm @komonews #seattle #CalAndersonPark pic.twitter.com/WF7pDQL68b
The sad part: Antifa has been rioting in Portland for years. Mayor Ted Wheeler has continually turned a blind eye to it, acting as though the violence did not exist.
In June of 2019, conservative reporter Andy Ngo was an Antifa target. They took issue with him reporting on their ridiculous lawlessness. So what did they do? They threw a cement milkshake at his face, which resulted in Ngo being hospitalized for a concussion. No one on the left condemned Antifa, even though Ngo is an openly gay reporter and his attack took place during pride month.
A couple months later Antifa members yelled at Portland Police, telling them to commit suicide.
"Last year, more cops died in the line of duty. It's because you all know you're a parasite," an Antifa member yelled. "Your job is morally and ethically bankrupt. You know you're a parasite so shoot yourselves. Shoot yourselves! Suicide is the only way out!"
These are just a few of the many, many times this dangerous group has attacked law enforcement, businesses and the city. What made Wheeler wake up and suddenly realize Antifa is dangerous?
As Ngo said, better late than never.
Better four years late than never. Antifa have been carrying out acts of mass carnage on the streets of Portland since 2017. They were coddled & protected by the city’s leadership & activist class. They were then emboldened to kill in 2020. https://t.co/uts01DSgcc
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) January 2, 2021
Let's see if anything actually changes or if Wheeler is full of hot air.
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