A town hall meeting honoring a 100-year-old Navy veteran of World War II was crashed by black agitators yelling, “No justice, no peace,” “Hands-up, don’t shoot!” and “I can’t breathe!” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) had introduced the guest of honor, 100-year-old U.S. Navy veteran Dario Raschio, when over 100 demonstrators invaded the gathering screaming their mantras as they walked among the seated audience.
A black attendee stood up and told the agitators: “You’ve made your statement. Now let other people have time to make their statement.”
The agitators began to verbally abuse him, calling him “Token.”
“Respect everyone,” the black attendee said, which was then picked up by the crowd and chanted in unison.
Raschio finally got a chance to speak.
“Give me a chance. At least let us show a little respect for this occasion,” he said. “I am accepting this on behalf of all the people who died in World War II. They are the true heroes. And many times, as I looked down on the invasions of those people going into those islands in the Pacific, I said to myself, ‘Man, they’re not standing a chance. But they kept on, and they are the heroes of World War II…’ God bless America. And you people that are here for a cause, whatever it might be—show respect to Sen. Wyden.”
Among the honors Raschio had received were the U.S. Naval Aviator Badge, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the “Ruptured Duck” award and the U.S. Navy Honorable discharge pin — as well as a flag that had flown over the U.S Capitol.
“One of the reasons that we can come here today and be heard and express our views is because of veterans like Dario,” Wyden began.
But then one black agitator called “for 4.5 minutes we are going to take time to pay respect to everybody who has been killed by police in this nation.”
Raschio left the meeting before it ended. Black agitators continued to scream, chant, and harass attendants until the town hall meeting was shut down.