Far- right Proud Boys vow monthly protests in Ore.

Weekend rallies, clashes led to injuries, 13 arrests

The far- right Proud Boys claimed success and vowed monthly protests in Portland after a weekend “End Domestic Terrorism” rally in Oregon’s largest city drew hundreds to condemn anti- fascist “antifa” activists.

Rose City Antifa, Portland’s antifascist activist group, countered with its own rally against the Proud Boys, an all- male extremist group condemned by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its ties to white nationalism.

Portland Police Lt. Tina Jones said 1,200 people representing both sides took to downtown streets, and at least 13 arrests were made. Authorities were mostly able to keep the conflicting groups apart through a series of protests and counterprotests lasting about nine hours.

Six people suffered minor injuries, Jones said.

“We know there is the possibility that assaults or other crimes occurred outside of the view of officers,” police said in a statement. “Officers and detectives will be spending the hours and days ahead writing reports, conducting interviews and pursuing investigations.”

Proud Boys protest organizer Joe Biggs said his group sought national attention and they got it. He noted President Donald Trump’s tweets as the protests unfolded.

Trump tweeted that Portland was “being watched very closely” and that the government was considering a plan to name antifa a terrorist organization, a designation normally reserved for foreign organizations.

The idea is not new. Sen. Ted Cruz, RTexas, co- sponsored a Senate resolution last month that would designate groups and organizations “who act under the banner of antifa” to be designated as domestic terrorist organizations.

“Look at President Trump’s Twitter,” Biggs said in a tweet that went viral. “He talked about Portland, said he’s watching antifa. That’s all we wanted. We wanted national attention, and we got it. Mission success.”

Mayor Ted Wheeler was less pleased at Trump’s perspective. He described the contentious rallies as “potentially dangerous and volatile.”

“Adding to that noise doesn’t do anything to support or help the efforts that are going on here in Portland,” Wheeler told CNN.

NOAH BERGER/ AP Police officers face off against protesters opposed to right- wing demonstrators after an “End Domestic Terrorism” rally Saturday in Portland, Ore., that drew hundreds to condemn “antifa” violence.