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Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler vows to ‘push back harder’ anarchists and Antifa radicals after another riot rocked the city on New Years Eve, admitting months-long efforts to stem the violence have failed.
“My good faith de-escalation efforts have met with continued violence and even contempt from radical Antifa and anarchists,” Wheeler said at a press conference Friday, according to KOIN. “In response, it will be necessary to use additional tools and push the boundaries of the tools we already have to end criminal destruction and violence.”
PORTLAND POLICE DECLARES RIOT AS NEW YEAR’S NEW YEAR’S CITY UNSTABILITY
Wheeler, a Democrat, was responding to the New Years’ Eve riot near the downtown courthouse, which was the subject of months of violent unrest last summer. Police said thugs threw “several firebombs” at cops on Thursday evening and launched commercial-grade fireworks at the courthouse.
Rioters also smashed windows and set the area on fire, KOIN reported, and police began using pepper spray or a sledgehammer against the crowd, along with what appeared to be rubber bullets or gunshots. pepper.
Seven months after the city’s first riots hit, Wheeler said it was time to take further action to quell the violence.
“Lawlessness and lawlessness have a great cost and a great risk for the future of our community,” he said. “It is time to fight harder against those who are determined to destroy our community and to take more risks to fight against lawlessness.”
He also noted the demographics of rioters, who often claim to be fighting for racial justice.
“Why would a group of largely white, young and some middle-aged men destroy the livelihoods of others struggling to survive?” he asked, before calling it “the height of selfishness.”
Wheeler said it was difficult for him and others “to come to terms with the reality that there are only people on this planet who are bent on criminal destruction; that there are people who really just wanna watch the world burn. “
Some of the enforcement measures he suggested were tougher penalties for rioting, as well as requiring violators to do public service and meet with owners of businesses they damaged.
PORTLAND POLICE AND PROTESTANTS ASSIGN IN DAYLIGHT
Violence first tore the Liberal stronghold apart throughout the summer following the death of George Floyd by police in Minnesota. Wheeler, however, focused on federal law enforcement officers sent by the Trump administration, apparently to protect federal buildings – accusing them of exacerbating tensions.
In July, he said his immediate concern was “the violence federal officers have brought to our streets in recent days and life threatening tactics.”
“We don’t need or want their help,” he said, a view that was shared by the state governor and the congressional delegation.
PORTLAND MAYOR AUTHORIZES “ ALL LEGAL MEANS ” TO CLEAR PROTESTANTS FROM HOME
Wheeler even joined the protesters outside the courthouse and attempted to conduct a “listening session” – before being hit by tear gas from federal agents.
However, while some protesters were receptive, many others heckled and booed him, opposing his refusal to support some of their demands such as the abolition of the Portland Police Station.
“F — Ted Wheeler! a protester shouted. “He can’t speak, he’s a fucking fascist.”
Wheeler narrowly beat a left-wing challenger in November, but continued to grapple with issues of anarchists and anti-fa violence.
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In December, he authorized the police to use “all legal means” to end an illegal occupation of a house in the city, in which protesters were trying to declare an autonomous zone.
“There won’t be a stand-alone zone in Portland,” Wheeler said.
Fox News’s David Aaro and Dom Calicchio contributed to this report.
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