There’s a saying in management circles and parenting groups: That which is rewarded is repeated. Portland, Ore., has just ensured that its pet rioters will feel free to continue their destructive fires, looting, and terror attacks. These have been going on since late May, with only a brief respite during the wildfires. Apparently smokey air quality interferes with setting the police precincts on fire.
An analysis of antifa and Black Lives Matter, Inc™ rioters by KOIN 6 News shows that of the 213 people arrested by police in September alone, charges against 90% of them were dropped. Ninety percent.
That which is rewarded is repeated.
90% of charges against rioters are dropped.
KOIN 6 News pic.twitter.com/IIlLWejtpf— Victoria Taft (Parler & FB and 5VTaftShow-Insta) (@VictoriaTaft) October 8, 2020
Portland has been the scene of ongoing nightly riots since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. Rioters are indulged and protected by the Portland ruling class. Those criticizing the rioters are dismissed as racists and other “ists” and shouted down from [im]polite society as supremacists of one sort or another. Business owners in downtown Portland, where most of the destructive riots have occurred, are already in economic free fall from the coronavirus shutdowns. City Hall has gotten an earful from them, including a prominent parking lot and real estate mogul, who sent the mayor photos of trash, graffiti, and dreck just steps away from city hall and demanded he do something about it.
KOIN 6 News reports that the vast majority of the cases brought against rioters were these (in order):
- Interfering with the peace officer
- Disorderly conduct
- Riot
- Resisting arrest
- Assaulting an officer
- Attempted escape
- Harassment
- Trespass
- Attempted assault on peace officer
- Criminal mischief
- Arson
- Possession of a destructive device
- Unlawful use of a weapon
- Reckless burning
- Driving-related charges
- Attempted assault
- Unlawful possession of a firearm
- Menacing
- Robbery
- Felon in possession of a firearm
Interfering with a police officer is likely to get most people arrested and prosecuted, but not so in Portland.
Quite a graph.
KOIN 6 News on charges against Portland rioters. pic.twitter.com/2UQN8tMo9m— Victoria Taft (Parler & FB and 5VTaftShow-Insta) (@VictoriaTaft) October 8, 2020
But of the 213 people arrested for these crimes, down from the 295 the month before, charges against 90% of them were dropped, some as early as the next day. Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt gave them a free pass because he’s decided to “preemptively decline to prosecute” the vast majority of cases because it’s not acceptable to hold adults accountable for their criminal behavior, or something. Let me remind you that interfering with a police officer, disorderly conduct and rioting were the top three charges that Schmidt has declined to prosecute. For those playing the home game, rioting is not protected free speech and is not considered legal protest—except under the made-up rules in Portland, I mean.
Letting criminals go is just part of the marching orders at the DA’s office. The Portland TV station reports that authorities even released a man who threw a Molotov cocktail—a gasoline bomb—behind a line of police officers. The unemployed, would-be cop-murderer somehow made his $1000 bail and, unsurprisingly, now has a warrant out for his arrest. Turns out, Joseph Robert Sipe was freed from custody when “attempted murder, attempted first-degree assault” charges were dropped, but an arson charge remained. His October 2 court appearance came and went without the 23-year-old showing up in court. He was already on the lam from an aggravated assault charge in Georgia so he was a terrific candidate to be released on his own recognizance. Take a bow, Portland.
The turnstile of justice was whirling for 20 protesters who are multiple arrestees. Among them was Peter Curtis who goes by the name of “Tabitha Poppins.”
After burning up a stolen mattress, antifa have set a wooden table from a restaurant on fire. Peter Curtis, aka “Tabitha Poppins,” who was arrested & charged last night, is back out at the riot tonight. #PortlandRiots #antifa pic.twitter.com/yjaonA5i7E
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 20, 2020
“Tabitha” is 40 years old, so is old enough to know better, and has been arrested five times. The gong banger, street performer, and violent multiple arrestee attends the riots nearly every night, proving once again that that which is rewarded is repeated.
Good luck with that, Portland.
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