What is the world coming to? How many times over the last several months has that question been asked? Every morning we wake up cringing, wondering what new atrocity, violent act, liberal antic, or social justice warrior incident has taken place while we were sleeping. Defunding and dismantling the police has only intensified the riots and unrest as basement dwellers boldly step out of their mommy’s homes to riot, loot, and get into fights. Now, after an Antifa supporter and suspected murderer was killed by federal agents, members of the not-so-anti-fascist group decided to attack the law in their own building.
The Backstory
On Aug. 30, pro-Trump supporters showed up in Portland, OR, to demonstrate against the three-month-long violent siege by Black Lives Matter and Antifa. As has been the usual, fighting broke out, and one supporter, 39-year-old Aaron “Jay” Danielson, was shot and killed. Michael Forest Reinoehl, 48, is a self-admitted Antifa supporter who reportedly said he had been the shooter. Police tracked the assailant to Lacey, WA, about 120 miles away. When they tried to arrest Reinoehl on Sept. 3, the suspect attempted to flee before producing a weapon and was shot dead.
Outraged over the death of one of their comrades, Antifa members gathered for a protest that ended with at least two arrests and more destruction and chaos.
Antifa Attacks
The group gathered at Laurelhurst Park and began marching in the street at around 9:22 p.m., according to the Portland Police Department. They blocked streets, and several of the protesters were wearing helmets and gas masks, some carrying shields. They had “support” vehicles to use for blocking the streets surrounding the Penumbra Kelly Building, a law enforcement facility, and the destination of the marchers. Some of the vehicles were without license plates, while others had duct tape covering the plates.
At 9:35 p.m., police used a loudspeaker to warn the group to keep off the property, promising they could be arrested for trespassing, but of course, that did not stop the unruly mob. While some members crossed onto the property, others started throwing “projectiles such as rocks and plastic water bottles.” Others spray-painted the west side of the building. Nearly two hours later, at 11:25 p.m., the crowd was informed, again over a loudspeaker, that if they continued throwing things at the building, they could be arrested. Police warned the agitators that “crowd control agents, including, but not limited to, tear gas and/or impact weapons” could be used.
At 12:25 a.m., someone drove a vehicle through the crowd, “narrowly missing people in the group.” The driver was later stopped by officers, a press release revealed, and the crowd was mostly gone by 2 a.m. Only two people were arrested: “a 29-year-old male and a 37-year old female.” There perhaps should have been a lot more.
Unfortunately, respect for authority has flown out the window and has left us wondering if it will ever be seen again. It is difficult to imagine a world where police are essentially forced to cower inside buildings while rioters take over cities, shoot each other in broad daylight, destroy businesses and city and federal property, and threaten and even injure law enforcement. However, that unholy scenario has come to light in today’s America.
The left’s obsessive hatred for the president – and for America – has left Democratic-run cities’ and states’ citizens defenseless against the violence unleashed upon their communities. Business owners, already struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic shutdown, are losing their livelihoods while politicians refuse to let the National Guard come in and help control the mobs. Will there ever be relief? It is unlikely any positive changes will be made until after Nov. 3, and even then, it will depend on who wins the presidency. Because, folks, this has less to do with civil unrest than it does with political power plays – at the American peoples’ expense.
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Read more from Kelli Ballard.
