Portland relieved in wake of rallies

PORTLAND, Ore. — With both the left and the right declaring victory after a longhyped rally that had Portland on edge, the liberal city will probably continue to be a flashpoint in an increasingly divided country.

City officials were mostly relieved that a downtown gathering Saturday of more than 1,000 farright protesters and antifascist counterdemonstrators wasn’t as violent as feared.

“I’m grateful this was largely a peaceful event,” Mayor Ted Wheeler said. “We were preparing for and planning for a worstcase scenario.”

There were 13 arrests and police seized bear spray, shields, poles and other weapons. But by using barriers and bridge closures authorities were able to mostly keep the two sides apart. Six minor injuries were reported.

Joe Biggs, the organizer of the rightwing gathering that featured the Proud Boys, Patriot Prayer and other farright groups, said they accomplished their goal of drawing attention to blackclad antifascist protesters — known as antifa —who showed up to meet them.

President Trump tweeted early Saturday that “major consideration is being given to naming ANTIFA an ‘ORGANIZATION of TERROR.’ ”

Biggs told the Oregonian/ OregonLive he is pleased the rally attracted Trump’s attention. “He talked about Portland, said he’s watching antifa. That’s all we wanted,” he said.

But Eric K. Ward, executive director of the Portland’s Western States Center, said the rightwing rally was a bust.

“Portland won today, and farright leaders like Joey Gibson and Joe Biggs lost,” Ward said in a statement.

The Western States Center stated mission is to increase inclusive democracy.