Tension Building In Portland As Pro-Trump Rally Is Confronted By Counter-Protesters

AP featured image — A supporter waves a flag prior to a campaign rally for President Trump at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla., Saturday, June 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

A massive Pro-Trump rally consisting of hundreds of vehicles – a lot of trucks and SUVs — entered Portland around 7:00 pm local time, headed for the downtown area that has been the location of many nighttime protests over the past three months.

It is unsure at this point if the Pro-Trump rally is intending to remain in the downtown area later into the evening when the Antifa/BLM protesters usually being their activities, or whether the Antifa/BLM protesters will direct their activities to the suburbs where they have spent a majority of their nights since leaving the streets surrounding the federal courthouse in downtown.

As of approximately 7:45 pm local time, the Pro-Trump rally crowd had entered the area of the state Judicial Center, which is just down the street from the federal courthouse. Logistics are going to be a nightmare if this crowd of people have any intention of parking their cars and getting out. Traffic all around downtown is in gridlock because of the vehicles from the rally.

The series of videos below are in rough chronological orders of events, beginning the rally organization point at the Clackamas Town Center shopping mall. The caravan then headed towards downtown Portland only to be intercepted by a counter-protest group blocking the road and forcing the caravan to stop. Shortly thereafter the Portland PD arrived with about a dozen officers and opened the roadway one. The caravan then continued on its way into downtown Portland.

The last few videos at the bottom show some minor altercations in the street, and some in the Trump rally vehicles came with paint-ball guns and pepper balls.

I’ll have another story up later if the pro-Trump rally crowd remains in the downtown area into the night.

There is a pro-Trump rally here in Clackamas Town Center. A motorcade is planned from here into Portland OR. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/HZJh70AI5y

— Justin Yau (@PDocumentarians) August 29, 2020

With the usual caveat that I'm terrible at crowd estimates, I'd say about 1,000 people are here throughout the parking lot right now and maybe like 1 million flags.

The current plan is to drive into Portland as a huge caravan at 6 p.m. pic.twitter.com/gJdiuDAKjk

— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) August 29, 2020

Someone dressed in black bloc de-escalates a tense scene pic.twitter.com/8GnYMdiSVb

— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) August 30, 2020

Counter-protesters has intercepted the pro-Trump motorcade rally, blocking their vehicles from advancing. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/pQzGFLeEBY

— Justin Yau (@PDocumentarians) August 30, 2020

One counter-protester & pro-Trump rally attendee engaged in a fist fight on the roadway at the ramp to the Morrison Bridge. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/KNnDgxiskF

— Justin Yau (@PDocumentarians) August 30, 2020

Portland Police made two arrests. Both individuals fighting have been cuffed and placed inside the riot van. Unclear on the charges as of now. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/k0W4t4c2Tq

— Justin Yau (@PDocumentarians) August 30, 2020

Portland riot police officers are now on the roadway directing traffic & keeping counter-protesters away from pro-Trump rally vehicles. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/AQgNdFcQn8

— Justin Yau (@PDocumentarians) August 30, 2020

Some of the caravan is headed right into downtown. Some protesters yelling from the sidewalks. pic.twitter.com/v7oLcyb6Tr

— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) August 30, 2020

Trump caravan in downtown pic.twitter.com/WgNRhPtfJ1

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 30, 2020

Following the convoy up Morrison pic.twitter.com/55zHlJWAu2

— Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile) (@1misanthrophile) August 30, 2020

It seems that patience is starting to wear thin now. Here you can see protesters blocking the intersection, and forcing the lead Rally vehicle to turn. The next vehicle simply ignores the protesters and puts the choice to them to either get run over or get out of the way.

One rally member turns to avoid counter-protesters but another drives right through them hitting several people. pic.twitter.com/i3aLRQg9tJ

— Cory Elia (@TheRealCoryElia) August 30, 2020