PORTLAND, Ore. — Dozens of right-wing Patriot Prayer members clashed with left-wing counter-demonstrators in downtown Portland once again on Saturday.
The brawl has resulted in no arrests by police to date. Four people received medical attention during the march, Portland Police said, but the bureau does not know if anyone was taken to the hospital.
Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson called for the march in response to what he called a lack of action by the city's police department during an Oct. 6 showdown between a driver and anti-police protesters.
The Patriot Prayer group met for its march at 6 p.m. in front of the Nordstrom across the street from Pioneer Courthouse Square. They marched through downtown Portland holding a sign that said "Replace PDX Mayor!"
Portland police reported people at the demonstration with hard-knuckled gloves, guns, knives, batons and pepper spray. No weapons were seized during the march and counter-demonstration.
Right-wing and left-wing demonstrators ultimately brawled in the 400 block of Southwest Washington Street, outside of Kelly’s Olympian, a bar.
Mike Bivins, a freelance journalist, captured the brawl on video and posted it to social media. Read the whole thread by Bivins, which captured photos and videos from the clash.
Officers attempted to restore order by using of less-lethal impact munitions, including foam and polystyrene bullets.
"We will continue to investigate this incident and ask that anyone who was the victim of a crime to come forward and file a report," said Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw in a statement.
Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson, who lives in Vancouver, said Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler's response to the now-viral moment of protesters and a driver clashing during an Oct. 6 protest isn't acceptable.
“This isn't political, it's just wrong. It's a lack of respect for not only the law but just other humans,” a post on the event’s Facebook page reads.
Several videos of the Oct. 6 confrontation were posted on social media. The videos show marchers, who were protesting the deadly police shooting of 27-year-old Patrick Kimmons, stopping traffic while some direct traffic themselves.
On a video captured by Brandon Farley, the driver of a Lexus sedan is seen turning right and hitting one protester who was pushing back on his car. The group then chase after him and some pound the car with batons. The driver briefly steps outside, then gets back in and drove off.
The driver filed a police report claiming protesters did around $3,000 in damage to his car. Portland police officers were on scene but didn't intervene.
Videos of the incident quickly gained steam online, and the actions of Portland police -- or lack thereof -- have been discussed at length on a national scale following a segment on Fox News.
Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw said the bureau didn’t want to escalate tensions that could have led to injuries.
"The complexity of each demonstration/protest is different and requires thoughtful decision-making," Outlaw said in a statement Thursday. "We will continue to review the most appropriate course of action and proper balance in our responses for these dynamic events."
Mayor Wheeler supported the police bureau’s decision to not intervene.
Rose City Antifa released a statement Sunday:
"The "flash mob" that Joey Gibson organized last night was a perfect example of what he has always done - Gibson creates an event, in this case supposedly for "law and order" that creates a safe space for dangerous, violent right wingers and fascists to come in and wreak havoc on Portland. The fact that Tusitala "Tiny" Toese was in attendance after flying across the country with Gibson last weekend to assault protesters with American Guard members makes it clear that Gibson does not care at all about law and order. The same can be said about the massive presence of Proud Boys the night after Proud Boy violence in New York City. The real intent of the march was to harass the mourners at a vigil for a murdered black man."