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Shocking videos from Portland showed skirmishes between Anti-fascists and alleged Proud Boys members, as both sides seemingly launched fireworks at one another down a city street — events that carried on past nightfall without any officer response despite being blocks away from a police station.
Members of the Proud Boys group reportedly attempted to close off an intersection to allow Christian worshippers who had come to attend an event on the waterfront organized by "Let Us Worship" rally leader Sean Feucht.
Feucht, who has made a name for himself protesting coronavirus restrictions on religious services in California and elsewhere in the country, clarified to Fox News though that the Proud Boys are not affiliated with his ministry – and were not hired as part of the event's security service.
PORTLAND SEES ANTIFA DESCEND ON CHRISTIAN WORHSIP EVENT, CLASH WITH PROUD BOYS IN STREETS
Once the families in attendance were gone, videos show confrontations continuing, as Antifa members in black bloc attire wearing helmets and holding shields deploy mace and some sort of gas. Fireworks explode in the streets, as Proud Boys fire paint ball guns back at the other side.
WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE
A Proud Boys leader known as Tusitala "Tiny" Toese reportedly directed men to form a line on a street outside a federal building, according to journalist Sergio Olmos. Additional footage showed another man carrying what appears to be a long barrel black gun while walking past a crowded bar in downtown Portland.
Sergio reported the man was carrying an assault rifle, but journalist Andy Ngo countered that the man was in fact carrying a paint ball gun, arguing Antifa members were not threatened and can still be heard hurling curse words his way as he continues to walk down the street. The man called police for assistance as he was followed and walked toward a police station for shelter. He was reportedly detained at the Multnomah County Justice Center.
Fox News has reached out to the Portland Police Bureau for comment but did not hear back.
Over the weekend, Antifa members had descended on an event planned at Tom McCall Waterfront Park near the Battleship Oregon Memorial. Another traveling religious leader, Artur Pawlowski, who’s been arrested in Canada for holding in-person worship services in violation of coronavirus restrictions, was expected to speak, but Antifa members instead interrupted the service and launched projectiles at crowds of worshippers that reportedly included young children. The demonstrators also stole stereo equipment and lawn chairs and threw those belongings into the river.
Feucht later addressed what he witnessed in a message on Twitter Monday.
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"It’s unfathomable that any American (Christian or not) would defend this DEMONIC and EVIL group over praying and worshipping believers," he wrote, referencing Antifa. "Yet this is where we are in 2021. #HoldTheLine"
