Before you review the thread below, read Byron York's analysis of the mainstream media's active whitewash of the violent upheaval in several American cities. We saw this in coverage of Seattle's "autonomous zone," prior to the murders, and we're seeing it again now. The national press is treating rioting, looting, arson, and assault as a strange fascination of the right-wing media, doing President Trump's bidding. The denial of reality and quasi-blackout of disturbing images and developments is so acute that even a powerful House chairman feels confident enough to dismiss the clear developments on the ground as a "myth." Someone needs to get these tweets to Mr. Nadler, stat. Via an Associated Press reporter embedded with federal officers in Portland, who paints a harrowing and outrageous picture:
I spent the weekend inside the Portland federal courthouse w/ the US Marshals. Mortars were being fired off repeatedly, fireworks & flares shot into the lobby, frozen bottles, concrete, cans & bouncy balls regularly whizzed over the fence at high speeds. https://t.co/PU4xbzwniY
— Mike Balsamo (@MikeBalsamo1) July 27, 2020
"Repeated" firing of mortars, which sounds like something out of a war zone, plus incendiary devices and hard objects intended to inflict serious harm. Recall that many in the press insist on referring to "largely peaceful" protests, employing almost comical language to euphemize the reality -- and that elected Democrats continue to blame the federal officers for what's happening, even after two consecutive months of riots in the city. More details:
The lights inside the courthouse have to be turned off for safety & the light from high-powered lasers bounced across the lobby almost all night. The fear is palpable. Three officers were struck in the last few weeks & still haven’t regained their vision. pic.twitter.com/33Mt2WyNsV
— Mike Balsamo (@MikeBalsamo1) July 27, 2020
The officers outside the Portland courthouse have been hit by an array of objects from canned food to ball bearings fired from slingshots. On Saturday night, a DHS officer was soaked completely in orange paint thrown from of one of many paint cans later seized by authorities. pic.twitter.com/Dng70rG8xn
— Mike Balsamo (@MikeBalsamo1) July 27, 2020
Bloody gashes, concussions, vision loss. This is all extremely serious, yet the impulse of Democrats in the press and elective office has been to downplay or ignore all of it, as if they're following an election year script. Balsamo goes on to report that federal agents defending the courthouse have engaged in "very thought-out" and measured tactics, deliberately seeking courses of action that would not "escalate tensions" between authorities and the decidedly non-peaceful contingent of "protesters." He quotes a deputy US Marshal who lives in Portland as saying, "I am worried for my life, every time I walk outside of the building." As city and state Democratic officials cravenly demand a federal retreat, Balsamo reports that "there's no plan for the feds to retreat right now. Those protecting the building feel a personal and professional duty to protect the courthouse." He adds, "many raised the same point — the courthouse stands for justice, for all people. And they aren’t going anywhere." The situation is very ugly, as further documented by local authorities, who have repeatedly been forced to declare riots:
Tonight Portland Police were near Lownsdale Square Park. A person pointed out a bag to them. Inside the bag Police found loaded rifle magazines and Molotov cocktails pic.twitter.com/ytpu9pZjqG
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) July 27, 2020
A riot was also declared by Seattle police (this headline is quite something), whose crowd dispersal options have been gutted by the city's left-wing political leadership, compelling Seattle's top cop to explain to residents and businesses that her department would not be able to protect private property. Meanwhile, here are some scenes from Los Angeles over the weekend (where there is no Portland-style federal presence that can be idiotically blamed for the actions of violent agitators). So much justice:
We have Black Lives Matter, Antifa, and Revolutionary Communists here. I am in the protest.
— Anthony (@realanthonyc) July 26, 2020
They have destroyed 3 federal buildings and attacked officers at two pic.twitter.com/CyipALe1XL
Terrible. https://t.co/TaacXb5mGr
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) July 27, 2020
The LA city council recently voted to dramatically slash the police budget and redirect the funds to various social services and causes -- something that has been endorsed by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden.
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