In Salem, Oregon, prote.stors were caught att.acking a Tr.ump supp.orter. After they used pe.pper spr.ay on the elderly veteran at a ra.lly in the state’s capital, they began to spray paint his truck and vand.alize the vehicle.
However, the Trum.p supp..orter wearing an American flag sweats.hirt pul.led a fire.ar.m on the pr.otestors and bra.ndished it to scare the pro.testors as he shou.ted, “Get away from me!”
Pol.ice immediately appreh.ended the ar.med Trump su.pporter, thro.wing him face down to the ground and han.dcuffing him behind his back. Because he thre.atened the lives of the anti-fasc.ists, he could face charges of atte.mpted mu.rder if prose.cutors de.em there is enough evi.dence to charge him with it.
In the aft.ermath of the showdown, the Trump supporter was seen rub.bing his eyes as p.olice arr.ested him. This led some to believe that he was spr.ayed with pepper spray during the al.tercation with the An.tifa prot.estors.
Around the scene, shatte.red p.lastic from the ma.n’s veh.icle’s br.oken tail.light was seen scat.tered acro.ss the Sal.em, Oregon roadway.
The prot.esters were laughing as the po.lice ha.uled the Tru.mp supp.orter away after arre.sting him for pu.lling the gun on the unar.med cr.owd. At one point, a prot.estor sho.uts, “F*** the Proud Boys,” indi.cating that the m.an with the Ame.rican-flag sweat.shirt might be invo.lved with the ha.te group.
Pol.ice have st.ill invest.igated the inc.ident and have not yet cha.rged the Tru.mp sup.porter. However, this in.cident was just one of many te.nse fi.ghts between lef.tist and right-wing prot.estors gath.ered at the Or.egon St.ate Cap.itol grounds.
A report from The Stat.esman J.ournal indi.cates that the left-wing Antifa prot.estors were peacefully gath.ered near the Statehouse before a car.avan of Trump suppo.rters dro.ve into the Ore.gon capi.tal.
The Trump suppo.rters were ar.riving to att.end a so-called “Fre.edom” ra.lly that was desi.gned to draw out those who have served in the United States mili.tary. However, the e.vent was lar.gely used to spr.ead white supr.emacy and mis.information.
Acco.rding to reports, at least three people were arr.ested during the tense protest in Salem. Those who were arre.sted inc.luded 34-year-old Andrew Alan Foy, who faces char.ges of second-degree disorderly conduct as well as second-degree cri.minal tre.spass.
Thirty-three-year-old Nathan McFarland was also arr.ested on charges of sec.ond-degr.ee diso.rderly cond.uct. Eighteen-year-old Anthony Villaneda was charged with five counts of point.ing a la.ser po.inter.
Sale.m po.lice were pr.epared to counter the Tru.mp prote.stors who arr.ived at the rally “he.avily ar.med” and dang.erous. Po.lice fea.red for th.eir safety and urg.ed people to leave due to “on.going reports of cr.iminal activity.”
After Court Street was closed, po.lice anno.unced via a loud.speaker that they would need to begin use of “imp.act weap.ons, mu.nitions and te.ar g.as” on the Tru.mp suppo.rters and Anti.fa prot.estors if the crowd of 150-200 people did not imme.diately di.sperse.
“The ris.k of vi.olence has incr.eased as the opp.osing pro.testors are expected to arr.ive in large num.bers,” Sal.em offici.als twe.eted. “We have received reports that vehi.cles driving past the ca.pitol are being str.uck with balloons fi.lled with paint and green lasers being poin.ted at drivers.
If (possible), av.oid traveling (through) streets around the capitol mall. Anyone observing cr.iminal be.havior should immed.iately move to a s.afe location & call 91.1.”
