As you probably read Journalist Andy Ngo, who covers Antifa activity, was attacked at a Portland rally Saturday and has reportedly been admitted to the hospital.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz called upon federal law enforcement to take a look at what happened, particularly actions taken by Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D).
To federal law enforcement: investigate & bring legal action against a Mayor who has, for political reasons, ordered his police officers to let citizens be attacked by domestic terrorists. https://t.co/5xyCDARICl https://t.co/c0Tf3SsKEf
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 30, 2019
Ted Cruz statements came after Mayor Ted Wheeler and the Portland Police Association president issued their take on how authorities handled the protests.
The unpermitted marches through the streets blocked traffic and public transportation into the afternoon hours on Saturday, and Portland police said demonstrators were throwing projectiles and using pepper spray.
Wheeler issued a series of tweets Monday in response to the weekend’s protests, saying in part that the city “stands against all forms of violence — regardless of someone’s political leanings.”
Wheeler, who serves as commissioner of the Portland Police Bureau, said officers face a difficult task of keeping the peace as demonstrators “have increasingly used their opportunity to exercise their 1st amendment rights, as an opportunity to incite violence.”
Portland Police Association President Daryl Turner echoed the condemnation of violence on city streets, but further called on the mayor to stop allowing the clashes between anti-fascist protesters (also called Antifa) and the alt-right group Proud Boys, and to “remove the handcuffs from our officers and let them stop the violence through strong and swift enforcement action.”
Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler vehemently denied ordering police to ignore Antifa protesters, but the attorney for Andy Ngo ripped into him on social media.
Wheeler denied the allegation in a tweet fired off at Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who called for a federal investigation into the Antifa attack on a freelance reporter at the protest.
“Dear @TedCruz,” Wheeler responded. At least get your facts straight. I ordered no such thing.”
Dear @TedCruz,
At least get your facts straight. I ordered no such thing.
Could you divert some of those investigation dollars to something that would actually benefit American cities? Infrastructure, affordable housing, mental health services come to mind. https://t.co/btI14p8fkJ
— Mayor Ted Wheeler (@tedwheeler) July 2, 2019
The attorney for Andy Ngo, the journalist who was brutally attacked at the Portland demonstration, responded with his own fiery tweet.
“Mayor @tedwheeler is denying that there was a stand-down order, but see the video and judge for yourself,” tweeted Attorney Harmeet Dhillon, referring to Ngo’s appearance on Tucker Carlson’s show.
“Officer told @MrAndyNgo that they didn’t want to ‘incite’ the Antifa mob by doing their jobs to protect citizens. Whose order was that? I’ll bet that any line cop who got into this job to help people, didn’t like the order, but had to follow it.
Officer told @MrAndyNgo that they didn't want to "incite" the Antifa mob by doing their jobs to protect citizens. Whose order was that? I'll bet that any line cop who got into this job to help people, didn't like the order, but had to follow it. We'll find out what happened.
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) July 2, 2019
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