OR Declares Emergency Ahead Of Proud Boys Rally

Reuters reports:

Thousands of supporters of the right-wing Proud Boys group were expected in Portland, Oregon on Saturday as police prepared for clashes in a city that has become the epicenter of sometimes deadly political violence in the run up to the Nov. 3 election.

Governor Kate Brown on Friday declared a weekend state of emergency for Oregon’s biggest city, saying “white supremacist groups” were traveling from out of state to attend an event the Proud Boys say was organized to “end domestic terrorism.”

The self-declared “Western chauvinist” Proud Boys have publicized the protest on Facebook for weeks, despite the social network’s pledge to block such pages, according to images provided by the Tech Transparency Project seen by Reuters. Facebook said on Friday that it had removed the pages.

A permit for the rally was denied on Thursday.

Proud Boys rally in Portland, Oregon stokes fears of renewed violence https://t.co/cSnxQnkYC7

— The Guardian (@guardian) September 26, 2020

On 9/26, alt-right groups and white nationalists are intent on coming into our community. These groups empower racism, intolerance and hate. Those are not Portland values, and they are not welcome. Hate has no home in Portland.

— Mayor Ted Wheeler (@tedwheeler) September 24, 2020