An Antifa group in Portland, Oregon, called for a Thanksgiving Eve attack on “symbols and structures of colonialism and capitalism.” The incited direct action led to the destruction and vandalism of a veterans’ war memorial and downtown businesses.
PNY Youth Liberation Front, a group described as an Antifa group by independent journalist Andy Ngo, tweeted a call for a “decentralized anti-colonial day of action” on Thanksgiving Eve. The message began, “F**k Thanksgiving, f**k Black Friday!”
On Thanksgiving, the group tweeted a “Portland Reportback” showing a photo of a toppled and defaced veterans’ war memorial statue located in Lone Fir Cemetery.
The destruction of veterans’ memorials is a federal crime under the “Veterans’ Memorial Preservation Act of 2003.” A conviction under this statute can lead to a federal prison sentence of up to 10 years. In June, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling on the Department of Justice to “prosecute to the fullest extent permitted under Federal law, and as appropriate, any person or any entity that destroys, damages, vandalizes, or desecrates a monument, memorial, or statue within the United States or otherwise vandalizes government property” in response the wave of attacks on veterans’ memorials by Antifa and Black Lives Matter groups.
Trump also called on federal prosecutors to go after “any person or any entity that participates in efforts to incite violence or other illegal activity in connection with the riots and acts of vandalism described in section 1 of this order.”
Ngo tweeted a video showing the damage to the statue and war memorial that honored veterans from the Civil War, Spanish American War, and Indian Wars.
Independent Media PDX also tweeted a video showing the destruction of the war memorial.
In addition to the war memorial, Antifa groups also attacked multiple businesses in Portland including a BLM-supporting supermarket. Antifa allegedly vandalized the business despite its messages of support for social justice causes.
The groups went on to attack multiple financial institutions including Chase, Wells Fargo, and Umpqua Bank.
Independent Media PDX also tweeted photos showing the destruction of multiple businesses along Hawthorne Boulevard in Portland.
Portland Police Bureau officials report the arrest of three people in connection the attacks on the businesses. Those felony arrests include:
- 24-year-old Chester Hester, ten counts of Criminal Mischief I.
- 38-year-old Nicole Noriega, ten counts of Criminal Mischief I.
- 23-year-old Bailey Willack, ten counts of Criminal Mischief I.
Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Mugshots of Nicole Noriega (L), Chester Hester (C), and Bailey Willack (R).
Officers cited and released another person on a weapons charge after finding them in possession of a semi-automatic pistol. Police officers also cited and released a juvenile for “crimes related to property damage.”
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, Parler @BobPrice, and Facebook.
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