Clashes break out as pro-Trump ‘caravan’ of cars wheels into Portland (VIDEOS)
Scuffles have erupted in the streets of Portland, Oregon after a stream of cars entered the city as part of the pro-Trump caravan, drawing ire from the counter-protesters struggling to block the procession.
Several hundred vehicles rolled into the streets of Portland on Saturday evening, many displaying Trump/Pence 2020 flags. The noisy procession launched from Clackamas, a suburb of Portland, which hosted a pro-Trump rally earlier in the day, and reached the city by 6pm, The Oregonian reports.
TRUMP CAR PARADE IN PORTLAND!!🇺🇸🚘There has never been a car or boat parade for Joe Biden! pic.twitter.com/22QN4tA1Bs
— Kyle Martinsen (@KyleMartinsen_) August 30, 2020
Charged confrontation between Black Lives Matter and Trump supporters on Portland highway, yelling “Just go home!” and “don’t touch the car” pic.twitter.com/YMY39MVmvQ
— Faiz Siddiqui (@faizsays) August 30, 2020
As the avant-garde of the caravan entered Portland, it was met by Black Lives Matter protesters, lining the sidewalks. Videos have emerged showing activists throwing projectiles at cars and burning Trump campaign banners, with pro-Trump demonstrators responding by macing them with pepper spray and firing paintball guns.
Clashes. Trump people unload paintballs and pepper spray. They shot me too. pic.twitter.com/PwU5pZMLnV
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) August 30, 2020
More paintballs pic.twitter.com/CPv09uC58y
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) August 30, 2020
In one incident, protesters flooded the intersection in an attempt to prevent the caravan from taking a loop around downtown. The drivers, however, broke through the lines after dousing activists in pepper spray and forcing them to scatter.
Antifa rioters try to physically block the Trump cars from driving in downtown Portland. They get maced instead of run over. #PortlandRiotspic.twitter.com/qx3mJFz24K
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 30, 2020
One counter-protester attempted to block the procession by stopping in the middle of the road and turning on emergency lights. The female driver reportedly played “F*ck Donald Trump,” telling the media that she was obstructing the caravan’s passage because Portland, which has been beset by violence for over 90 nights, is “supposed to be a progressive city.”
A single car has their emergency light on blocking the procession, the driver is playing “fuck Donald trump”, I ask her why she’s doing this “because Portland is supposed to be a progressive city, fuck these guys” pic.twitter.com/D7r7WyTyp4
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 30, 2020
Other footage shows left-wing demonstrators and Trump supporters exchanging punches in the streets.
Some fighting in the street pic.twitter.com/ILgPPlQfLF
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) August 30, 2020
Mutual combat on the Morrison bridge pic.twitter.com/NhulUSz70P
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 30, 2020
Counter protestor to MAGA “fuck you bitch, get out the car, stupid ass trump supporter” pic.twitter.com/NA2LeWdxfR
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 30, 2020
There have been reports of arrests.
President Trump, who is running on a law and order platform in his bid for a second term, has been blaming Portland’s protester-friendly mayor for turning a blind eye to virtually daily clashes between activists and federal security officers. The local authorities downplayed the violence and accused the president of stepping out of the line after he deployed additional federal forces to Portland. Pro-Trump demonstrators have been showing up in Portland for three consecutive weekends.
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