Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) condemned antifa and anarchists after a night of riots in the city on New Year’s Eve.
Speaking at a press conference on New Year’s Day, the mayor said protesters caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage by breaking windows, lighting fires and painting spray in downtown Portland on Thursday afternoon, as reported by KOIN, a local affiliate of CBS.
Wheeler asked during the press conference, “Why would a group of white, young men and some middle-aged men destroy the livelihood of others struggling to get it?”
According to law enforcement, some protesters allegedly used Molotov cocktails Thursday night, causing thousands of dollars in damage to downtown properties.
Since then, the mayor has been in contact with Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt to call for more lawsuits and accountability for “radical anti-fascists and anarchists” who are trying to cause damage and damage to the city, which suffered dozens of nights of violent protests in 2020.
“My good faith efforts for the de-escalation have been met with continued violence and even contempt from antifa and radical anarchists,” Wheeler said. “In response, we will need to use additional tools and push the boundaries of the tools we already have to end criminal destruction and violence.”
Wheeler pledged three counter-clashes to handle violent protesters in the city, including those who called on federal, state, county and local law enforcement “to come together to address anarchist violence as soon as possible.”
He also called on the state legislature to increase sanctions for repeat offenders, adding that it believes people convicted of criminal destruction should “meet with those companies that did harm.”
The Portland mayor’s comments mark a drastic shift in tone from his statements throughout 2020, when protesters ravaged a nearby courthouse for more than 100 nights, partly sparked by outrage over George Floyd’s death in the custody of Minneapolis police in May.
President Trump
Donald Trump Trump says Georgia Senate removals are “illegal and invalid” in New Year’s tweets. The judge rejects Gohmert’s election lawsuit against former Sen. Pence, a former Republican senator, suggests forming a new party, and calls Trump a “ring master.” urged Wheeler to allow him to deploy federal troops to help quell protests in the city over the summer, but the mayor denied the president’s offer.