Violent protests again draw attention to Portland, Oregon

By Gillian Flaccus Associated Press

Saturday, June 9, 2018 9:42 AM

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Viral videos of bloody fistfights and skirmishes between right-wing activists and self-described anti-fascists have drawn national attention to Portland, Oregon.

It's a city of storied political activism that has struggled to keep the peace at dueling rallies representing a microcosm of the nation's political division.

Tensions erupted most recently when members of the so-called "antifa" movement showed up at a march organized by a right-wing group called Patriot Prayer.

As police tried to keep order, fist fights broke out in verdant downtown parks fringed with aspen trees and dotted with plaques honoring Portland's founders and veterans.

Police made four arrests June 3.

They have recently become a gathering place for dissent in this liberal city already known for weekly protests against federal land management policy, police brutality and transgender discrimination.

Violent protests again draw attention to Portland, Oregon

Mack Stilson, left, plays his mandolin and Victor Reuther, right, plays his guitar in a park in Portland, Ore., as they practice for an upcoming bluegrass gig during their lunch hour on June 7, 2018. Stilson and Reuther, both Portland residents, say they are proud of the city's reputation for activism but they are concerned about dueling demonstrations that have turned violent in the past year in downtown Portland. A right-wing group called Patriot Prayer and self-described left-wing anti-fascists clashed in the streets on June 3, in some cases drawing blood, and police made four arrests. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)

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FILE--In this June 4, 2017, file photo, thousands of protesters gather in Portland, Ore., for competing rallies following the fatal stabbing of two men on a light-rail train by a man police say was shouting anti-Muslim slurs. Many Portland residents say they love their city's reputation for political dissent but are dismayed it has become a spotlight for violence. (AP Photo/Kristena Hansen, file)

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In this April 27, 2017, file photo, right wing group Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson speaks during a rally in support of free speech in Berkeley, Calif. The conflict between Patriot Prayer and the so-called "antifa" has dominated the landscape at marches and rallies in Portland, Ore., in recent months, creating turmoil and soul-searching in the city, a liberal bastion that also hides a dark and lesser-known history of racism dating back decades. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, file)

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FILE--In this May 30, 2017, file photo, a bicyclist walks his bike down a ramp in Portland, Ore., surrounded by messages, flowers, images and candles at a memorial for two men fatally stabbed on a light rail train in Portland on May 26, 2017. Many Portland residents say they love their city's reputation for political dissent but are dismayed it has become a spotlight for violence. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, file)

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FILE--In this May 31, 2017, file photo, the memorial for two men fatally stabbed on a light rail train is shown in Portland, Ore. Many Portland residents say they love their city's reputation for political dissent but are dismayed it has become a spotlight for violence. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, file)

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FILE--In this June 3, 2018, file photo, photographers capture dueling demonstrations between antifacists known as antifa and a right wing group called Patriot Prayer in downtown Portland, Ore. The conflict between Patriot Prayer and the so-called "antifa" has dominated the landscape at marches and rallies in recent months, creating turmoil and soul-searching in this city, a liberal bastion that also hides a dark and lesser-known history of racism dating back decades. (Mark Graves/The Oregonian via AP, file)

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FILE--In this May 30, 2017, file pool photo, Jeremy Christian shouts as he is arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Ore. Many Portland residents say they love their city's reputation for political dissent but are dismayed it has become a spotlight for violence. (Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian via AP, Pool, file)

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