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Ahead of a free speech rally in Portland on Sunday, flyers went up around the city featuring photos of people expected to attend and alleging that they are neo-Nazis.
Each flyer focuses on a different individual, among them are a Latino man as well as someone whose biggest sin — according to the Antifa activists — was questioning if there was a possibility that the Portland stabber had acted in self defense.
Big League Politics spoke to Tim Pool, an independent journalist in town covering the rally and counter protest, who provided us with photos of the flyers. We have decided not to publish them as they contain identifying information and wild accusations.
“Some of the flyers show pictures of them wearing Nazi and white power symbols,” Pool told BLP, “but at least one just accuses a guy of being a white nationalist because he made comments about free-speech.”
The flyer that Pool is referring to featured the photos and Facebook posts of a man who had pondered if Jeremy Christian had been defending himself against his three victims. He also wrote that perhaps he should not have been thrown out of a previous free speech rally, and that maybe the organizers and activists should have debated him instead.
Christian, 35, a mentally ill Bernie Sanders supporter, had previously been removed from a free-speech rally by right-wing attendees. The attacker has been widely portrayed in the liberal media as a supporter of President Donald Trump, despite one look at his Facebook account telling a different tale.
As we previously reported, on the eve of the free speech rally, left-wing anarchist group the “Rose City Antifa” held a training to prepare people for potential violence during the counter protest.
On their flyers, Rose City Antifa urges people to “oppose alt-right bigot ‘Based Stick Man’ Kyle Chapman,” and attend a “group self defense in the streets” workshop. The flyers also assert that “we will fight them with our every ounce.”
Chapman told Big League Politics in response to our report that, “the systematic leftist oppression of right wing freedom loving Americans will no longer be tolerated. We will fight for our god given rights just as our ancestors did. We are warriors.”
The rally that antifa are all riled up about is advertised as having “speakers exercising their free speech, live music, flags, and an uplifting experience to bring back strength and courage to those who believe in freedom,” the event page reads.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler had previously called on the federal government to block the free speech rally, as well as an anti-Sharia Law march scheduled for June 10.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Wheeler wrote that the city would not be issuing permits for the event — but noted that the federal government which controls Shrunk Plaza where it is scheduled to take place.
Wheeler added that he is “calling on the Federal government to IMMEDIATELY REVOKE the permit(s) they have issued for the June 4 event, and not issue a permit for June 10.” He also issued a request that the organizers cancel the event, should the permit not be pulled.
The mayor has not called for Rose City Antifa and other leftist anarchists threatening violence to stand down, however.
Nearly 300 people have RSVP’d for the counter protest against the free speech rally, on an event page that reads, “it is time that Portland stood up to these ceaseless rallies which are little more than opportunities for racists to network, mainstream their message, and initimidate [sic] vulnerable communities.”
In an additional statement posted to the event page, the organizers wrote that “having reviewed the successes and failures across the country in addressing similar events, our view is that an indiscriminate approach attacking their entire event would not be strategic and plays into their hands in several important ways.”
Instead, the group plans to “participate in resisting this bigotry in whatever capacity they find appropriate,” and hold a separate rally adjacent to the free speech rally.
The statement continues on to call for violence (emphasis added by BLP).
“We are unapologetic about the reality that fighting fascism at points requires physical militancy. Anti-fascism is, by nature, a form of self-defense: the goal of fascism is to exterminate the vast majority of human beings. However, we realize that not everyone is able to do that type of work for a wide variety of reasons. We cannot emphasize enough that a diverse range of other forms of resistance are also crucial. There are groups in attendance that will be prepared to handle physical opposition, and all those compelled are welcome to join in that effort. We want to be clear that we are by no means expecting the entire rally to want, or be able, to do that. We ask that all rally attendees respect the boundaries and safety of one another.”
Additionally, the statement notes that they do not condemn property damage and vandalism.
“While we are not opposed to the tactic of property destruction, we would encourage other individuals and groups to seriously consider the strategic value of their chosen actions at this event. The climate in Portland and across the country right now is such that extremely heavy charges are being handed out for acts of vandalism that have little impact beyond the symbolic.”
Big League Politics will be covering the rally and counter protest which begins at 2 p.m. PST on Sunday.