Dueling #MeToo and #HimToo rallies in Portland, Oregon, over the weekend resulted in violent clashes between a mob of antifa agitators and Patriot Prayer rally-goers. According to the Portland Police website: “Officers observed sticks, glass bottles, lit road flares, bottles filled with a substance believed to be urine, & gopher gas used as projectiles.”
Photojournalist Andy Ngo, who was on the ground to capture the outrageous antics of the antagonistic antifa mob, says those weapons were used exclusively by the antifa agitators. Although there were a handful of arrests, assault complaints against masked agitators went unanswered because their identities were unknown.
More than 200 protesters held a #MeToo rally on Saturday where victims of sexual assault spoke about their experiences.
The much smaller #HimToo rally, hosted by Patriot Prayer member Haley Adams, was organized to make the undeniable point that men can also be victims of sexual abuse, as well as victims of false accusations of sexual abuse.
This is the mild event description for the Portland #HimToo event. In response, Portland’s far left has chosen to rage and claim this is an event for misogyny, racism, and fascism. pic.twitter.com/NsN7h2dfp6
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 17, 2018
This, of course, infuriated the left-wing attendees of the #MeToo Rally who attempted to deny #HimToo rally-goers their right to assemble.
Ngo described the experience covering the rallies as “surreal” in a tweet later on, saying: “I was assaulted by a mob of masked individuals in black. They also targeted my equipment. They called me a fascist & Islamophobe. They said my parents & grandparents would be ashamed of me. It feels surreal to be treated this way by people who don’t even know me.”
Ngo’s video footage highlights the psychotic behavior of those in the antifa crowd who, despite their clearly deranged mental state, seemed to win the day.
As soon as he arrived, the agitators set upon him, repeatedly telling him to “get the f*ck out,” as if they owned the streets.
“Get out of my walkway, I’m trying to walk,” a belligerent woman demanded. “How ’bout you get the f*ck out of here, Andy!” the agitator bellowed, closing in on him. “I don’t feel safe with you here, so get the f*ck out!”
As soon as I entered Chapman Square in downtown Portland at approximately 1:40 pm, I was accosted & pushed around by masked agitators. pic.twitter.com/6uGf8VT0fa
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 18, 2018
Masked agitators ganged up on him, taunting him as a hated and unwanted, pathetic loser. “Nobody in this city likes you,” one of the masked agitators howled. “He’s a loser with no friends.”
They also attacked him on a personal level.
“Your parents would be embarrassed by you–and your grandparents, who have been oppressed by white men throughout history,” a woman hissed. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
A particularly venomous masked agitator followed Ngo across the plaza, continuously heckling him: “You’re a little anti-Islamic fascist,” he barked. “Get the f— in your cage.” Some of the agitators tried to trip Ngo and used their signs to box him in.
“This city f—king hates you, look at how pathetic you are,” the agitator brayed. “That’s an expensive camera equipment you got there,” he added menacingly. “Thank God you got all these cops around, huh?”
It was difficult for me to get inside the actual #HimToo event until this point. A woman talked about how she was able to overcome the trauma from rape when she was a teen. She explained why her life experiences now make her a defender of men. pic.twitter.com/cj6L4D0Zzk
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 18, 2018
When the police finally pushed protesters back to get them further away from the #HimToo rally, the antifa mob shouted in response: “Cops and Klan work hand-in-hand!”
As if to add one more aspect of surrealness to the scene, a female agitator pulled her pants down and mooned the police while giving them the finger.
NUDITY. Person with #Antifa group exposes himself to police. pic.twitter.com/PvHnS6TeBM
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 18, 2018
Ngo found himself again surrounded by hostile agitators who fired silly string at him, hitting his clothes and video equipment.
A large group of #antifa protesters encircled me. After I am pushed away, a masked woman sprays my camera equipment & myself w/wet silly string. They then play music & laugh. I want to file a harassment report with @PortlandPolice but the assailant's identity is unknown. pic.twitter.com/U0EWZcw8lF
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 18, 2018
After the #HimToo rally, the antifa mob chased the attendees down as they were heading to their cars.
The spitting and cursing Hannah McClintock behaved as if she was either on mind-altering drugs or was literally possessed by demons.
Hannah McClintock, the woman in yellow with #antifa, repeatedly spit at a man & hurled punches at him. I had witnessed her trying to fight people over & over. She was one among six people who were arrested. pic.twitter.com/jWtX2wahw8
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 18, 2018
Ngo said that despite being harassed and assaulted, he could not file a police report because his assailants were wearing masks. He said the experience has convinced him that the city of Portland needs to adopt an ordinance banning masks at rallies.
“The city’s lack of authority has emboldened extremists to exploit ways to maximize criminal activity & harassment with impunity,” he said.
Portland Police visited my home to speak with me. I was told they could not file a report of assault because I had no bodily injury. They also said they couldn’t file a harassment report because the assailants’ identities are unknown (due to the masks).
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 18, 2018
Yesterday’s chaos has convinced me that Portland must consider an ordinance banning masks at rallies. The city’s lack of authority has emboldened extremists to exploit ways to maximize criminal activity & harassment with impunity. cc: Mayor @tedwheeler.
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 18, 2018
Six protesters were arrested, including the 19-year-old McClintock.
Police: Six people arrested during downtown Portland demonstration https://t.co/IfbDBfemz3 pic.twitter.com/LQzyS7O2Wn
— FOX 12 Oregon KPTV (@fox12oregon) November 18, 2018
In an interview Monday with Buck Sexton and Krystal Ball, Ngo described the antifa radicals as “an organized street militia” and said that the progressive local media were “derelict in their duty” for calling them “antifascists.”
"The local media…were derelict in their duty because they portrayed these [antifa] groups as actual anti-fascists, rather than the organized street militia they actually are." Link to my full interview with @krystalBall & @BuckSexton on @HillTVLive: https://t.co/RLjIiM1lNS pic.twitter.com/0NDtAKwCmp
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 19, 2018
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