The Vancouver, Washington, chapter of the NAACP condemned the recent violence that plagued the Portland, Oregon, suburb over the weekend. Antifa members crossed the Columbia River into the city on consecutive nights over the weekend and attacked residents and vandalized businesses.
Following two nights of violent protests in Vancouver, the local chapter of the NAACP tried to distance itself from those involved, KATU ABC2 reported. The violent protests broke out in response to the officer-involved shooting of an armed Black man last week.
In a written statement, NAACP Vancouver stated:
NAACP Vancouver condemns the actions that resulted in damage and destruction during last night’s (October 30th) protest in Esther Short Park. We want to make it absolutely clear that the NAACP Vancouver was not involved in nor consulted in organizing the protest. We also want to make it abundantly clear to the participants that your non-peaceful behavior is totally antithetical to our values as an organization and as black citizens of Vancouver.
We absolutely supported a peaceful vigil recognizing the death of Kevin Peterson, empathizing with his family, and calling for a transparent and expedient investigation of the death of yet another black person in Vancouver at the hands of local law enforcement.
To the people involved in organizing the protest, we appreciate those of you who peacefully demonstrated. To those who committed damage, please do not assume that anarchy in any way, historically or now, defines or serves the needs or desires of the NAACP or black citizens in Vancouver. Furthermore, we offer our support and invite community organizers and activists who share our values to contact us for input about holding events in Vancouver. We have information about our community and resources that can help demonstrations be successful. The location where the demonstration and much of the damage and destruction took place houses and serves the needs of many elderly, low-income, and disabled BI-POC citizens. Your protest in no way respected or served them.
We will continue the fight in the tradition of non-violence.
Antifa came to Vancouver over the weekend after Portland police declared their protest in that city to be a riot, Breitbart News reported.
Once they arrived in Vancouver, they attacked patrons of local bars and restaurants. In one incident, they brutally kicked a man while he was on the ground.
After breaking windows in a business district, the violence moved to residential areas where protesters shouted “Wake up, mother f*ckers. Wake up!”
NAACP leaders in Vancouver said they supported a peaceful vigil held by local residents recognizing the death of 21-year-old Kevin Peterson.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.
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