On Sunday night, the left-leaning media and antifa-denying Democrats threw a Hail Mary. After 51 nights of violent antifa riots and after President Donald Trump sent federal troops to help restore law and order, a group of mothers marched with protesters in front of the Justice Center in Portland. These “MOMTIFA” activists chanted, “I don’t see no riot here, take off your riot gear!” While the MOMTIFA presence is driving media coverage, the mothers later cleared out and the rioting resumed. Antifa rioters dismantled a heavy-duty fence and attempted to use it to barricade the federal courthouse before starting a bonfire, apparently aimed at burning down the courthouse.
The evening showcased the two narratives about the deadly riots. While Democrats rightly insist that most of the protests following the horrific police killing of George Floyd were largely peaceful, they seem intent to ignore the fact that some of the protesters proceeded to engage in looting, vandalism, and arson. It only takes a few people to start a riot and the destruction of the riots in Portland cannot be denied.
For a long period of time, the left-leaning media and Democrats have turned a blind eye to the violence and destruction, but recently they have taken to blaming President Donald Trump for the violence — because he sent federal troops to try to quell the riots! While some questions remain about the tactics federal troops have used in Portland, it is patently false to suggest that these troops were targeting innocent peaceful protesters.
Yet media outlets and influencers seized on MOMTIFA as supposed proof that no rioting has taken place and that the very presence of federal troops is unjustified. Antifa rioters blew open this false narrative a few hours after the MOMTIFA march.
MOMTIFA in Portland
Student journalists from South Salem High School captured footage of the mothers in Portland. The protesters apparently gathered as a group called “Moms Against Police Brutality.”
“The moms have formed a line on the street in front of the Federal Courthouse. The chant of ‘I don’t see no riot here, take off your riot gear’ continues, led by them,” the Clypian tweeted. Yet the very night before, antifa rioters had broken into the police union and set it on fire, while another group physically attacked the Justice Center.
The moms have formed a line on the street in front of the Federal Courthouse. The chant of “I don’t see no riot here, take off your riot gear” continues, led by them. #PortlandMoms. #portland #PortlandProtest #portlandprotests #PortlandOregon #PortlandOR #oregon #BLMprotest #PDX pic.twitter.com/GdqjkRRHu6
— Clypian (@Clypian) July 20, 2020
Antifa Rioters Break Into Portland Police Union and Set It on Fire as Mayor Hamstrings Federal Troops
The mothers carried signs reading “I’m so disappointed in you — Mom,” and “Now you’ve p**sed off the moms.”
“I’m so disappointed in you.” – Mom #PortlandProtest pic.twitter.com/T7dPdYVxig
— pdx law grrrl (@pdxlawgrrrl) July 20, 2020
The protesters seemed to suggest that since mothers were in the area, federal troops were unnecessary. “Moms are here, feds stay clear,” they chanted. “Feds go home!”
“Moms are here! Feds stay clear!” #PortlandProtest pic.twitter.com/4u6Qif49BW
— pdx law grrrl (@pdxlawgrrrl) July 20, 2020
Some marched with signs reading, “Quell This!” and “MOMTIFA, for [the love of] our children!”
The scolding and disappointment dripping off the signs here is something only Mom’s can pull off. #MomsAreHere #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #portland #oregon #blm #acab #PortlandProtest #PDXprotest #PortlandPolice pic.twitter.com/u2rg7agEwe
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) July 20, 2020
Even this crowd descended to using ugly slogans, however, according to the Clypian. They reportedly chanted, “ACAB, all cops are bastards!” “Go home, pigs!” and “I will not live in a fascist state.” Some ralliers actually brought “little piggies that squeak.”
If the moms really were there to restore order, they might have a point in claiming that federal troops were unnecessary. But these MOMTIFA did not tell their antifa children that it was past their bedtimes. Instead, they themselves turned in, leaving the streets of downtown Portland to another round of violent rioting.
WATCH: Antifa Rioters Throw Bricks, Mortars, M-80s at Police as Portland Descends Into a War Zone
Night 52 of violent riots in Portland
The Portland police have been releasing statements regarding the violent antifa riots, but the statement for Sunday night, July 19, takes pains to insist that “Portland Police were not present” during the riots and that they “did not engage with any crowds and did not deploy any CS gas.” Instead, federal troops did all the hard work.
Protesters gathered in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse, with hundreds blocking a street and dozens more tampering with the fence around the courthouse. “At about 9:40 p.m. people in the crowd breached the fence enough to allow access to the area fenced off,” the police reported. “The crowd chanted and pulled at the fence for about ninety minutes. At about 11:20 p.m. federal law enforcement came out of the courthouse for a few minutes and attempted to repair the fence, then went back inside.”
At about 11:43 p.m., the rioters pulled down the fence and spilled into the area in front of the courthouse. While Democrats have described the federal troops as an “occupying army,” the police description of the rioters suggests an angry semi-armed mob. “Dozens of people with shields, helmets, gas masks, umbrellas, bats, and hockey sticks approached the doors of the courthouse. Federal law enforcement came out of the courthouse at about 11:50 p.m. and dispersed the crowd.”
Reminder: earlier tonight they worked very hard to tear the fencing down: pic.twitter.com/4IxN6QpXZe
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) July 20, 2020
Over the next two hours, rioters gathered in various parts of the area. At 1:31 a.m., a miscreant climbed onto the northwest corner of the Justice Center to tamper with a security camera. At 1:34 a.m., rioters lit a fire within the portico in front of the federal courthouse. “Others gathered around the fire adding wood and other debris to make it larger.”
The Daily Caller’s Shelby Talcott captured footage of the fire, which antifa rioters fueled using an American flag.
A small fire has started at the courthouse in Portland. An American flag is burned pic.twitter.com/IqMpghnOrM
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) July 20, 2020
As the police reported, rioters attempted to build up the fire.
Cops just arrived as these guys were trying to build up the fire! Had to cut the feed short to run… pic.twitter.com/8cnIY1AxT9
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) July 20, 2020
Rioters later tried to use the fence they had taken down to barricade federal troops inside the courthouse.
And after the tear gas cleared, antifa rioters return to the Portland federal courthouse. They’re now using the fence they broke earlier to barricade front of the courthouse so that law enforcement can’t come out. #PortlandRiots Video by @ShelbyTalcott: pic.twitter.com/IRG91SKoex
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 20, 2020
“At 1:42 a.m. federal law enforcement came out of the courthouse, dispersed the crowd and extinguished the fire,” the police reported.
UNDER SIEGE: Antifa Rioters Throw Cans, Shoot Fireworks at Cops in Battle for Columbus Statue
Democrats blame Trump
Although there have been some troubling reports about federal troops capturing suspected rioters in allegedly unmarked vans and releasing them without legally arresting or charging them with crimes, Democrats have rushed to blame President Donald Trump and the federal troops as if the antifa riots were an understandable reaction to federal troops — who only arrived after weeks of riots.
Wheeler claimed that the “heavy-handed tactics” of federal law enforcement have made the situation worse.
The President did not quell it, he escalated it. His heavy-handed tactics led to a serious injury and enflamed an already tense situation. https://t.co/V1lZeOLWD1
— Mayor Ted Wheeler (@tedwheeler) July 14, 2020
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) demonized federal law enforcement as Trump’s “secret police” and an “occupying army,” claiming that the federal troops “provoke violence on the streets of my hometown.”
A peaceful protester in Portland was shot in the head by one of Donald Trump’s secret police. Now Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media.
— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) July 16, 2020
“DHS and DOJ are engaged in acts that are horrific and outrageous in our constitutional democratic republic. First, they are deploying paramilitary forces with no identification indicating who they are or who they work for,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) alleged. “Second, these agents are snatching people off the street with no underlying justification. Both of these acts are profound offenses against Americans. We demand not only that these acts end, but also that they remove their forces immediately from our state.”
🚨 Second, these agents are snatching people off the street with no underlying justification. Both of these acts are profound offenses against Americans. We demand not only that these acts end, but also that they remove their forces immediately from our state.
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) July 17, 2020
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum (D-Oregon) filed lawsuits aiming to stop the federal troops, claiming they violated the rights of “peaceful protesters.”
Over the weekend, Wheeler again pinned the blame for the violence on federal troops. Hilariously, he claimed that peace was about to return to the streets of Portland before federal troops arrived. “The energy was coming out of the demonstrations. We had hoped they would end within a matter of days,” he said. “The whole thing blew up again like a powder keg.” He claimed the federal troops “are making the situation much more dangerous.”
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler: "Before the federal troops got here, violence was way down, vandalism was way down." pic.twitter.com/ozHCcRK1r8
— The Hill (@thehill) July 19, 2020
Wheeler claimed that local law enforcement had the situation well in hand, despite more than a month of violent riots. In fact, it seems likely that the “autonomous zone” that briefly flared up in Portland last week would have continued had President Donald Trump not pressured Wheeler to act.
As Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf put it, “The city of Portland has been under siege for 47 straight days by a violent mob while local political leaders refuse to restore order to protect their city. Each night, lawless anarchists destroy and desecrate property, including the federal courthouse, and attack the brave law enforcement officers protecting it.” Wolf released a detailed timeline of the violence and lawlessness.
Instead of demonizing federal troops, local Democratic officials should work with them and attempt to put an end to these dangerous and destructive riots. If MOMTIFA is truly going to get involved, the mothers should tell their children to stop destroying property after their bedtimes. If the mothers would instill in their children a respect for law and order, perhaps this violence would never have happened.
Tyler O’Neil is the author of Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Follow him on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil.
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