Holly MatkinSalem, OR – A mob of antifa hurled rocks and paint-filled balloons at motorists near the Oregon State Capitol grounds on Sunday before they spread out into surrounding neighborhoods and started damaging property, according to police.
The mayhem erupted after a group of approximately 100 antifa dressed in “black clothing and ballistic vests and carrying firearms, bats, skateboards, umbrellas, shields and gas masks” showed up on the capitol mall grounds to protest the Freedom Rally event behind held in the same area, the Salem Police Department (SPD) said in a press release.
Some members of the black bloc mob, known as the “Fascist Free 503,” also carried leftwing Youth Liberation Front flags, according to police.
Members of the group stacked up a pile of shields – some of which read “Abolish PPB,” referring to the Portland Police Bureau, the Statesman Journal reported.
Others began preparing baking soda to use in the event contaminants were to get into rioters’ eyes, according to the paper.
#Antifa brought their flag, weapons and riot gear to their violent protest gathering at the Oregon state Capitol in Salem. #AntifaRiots pic.twitter.com/AYsZqCCrel
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) March 28, 2021
The group gathered on Court Street in front of the state capitol building and soon began throwing rocks, paint-filled balloons, and other hard objects at passing vehicles, according to the press release.
By that time, their numbers had grown to somewhere between 150 and 200 people, KATU reported.
A rioting #antifa militant was nearly run over by a truck at the Oregon state capitol in Salem. #Antifa have gathered there today with weapons. They're throwing rocks at vehicles passing by. Police are not getting involved. pic.twitter.com/vVwpssNDPQ
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) March 28, 2021
Cell phone videos showed the rioters out blocking the roadway as vehicles tried to pass by.
The windows of multiple vehicles were shattered during the attacks, according to the Statesman Journal.
#salemoregon UPDATE at 1615: #trafficalert
Traffic congestion on Center and Capitol STS NE due to protestors in the roadway. Street is being cleared by crowd management teams. Drivers should take another route. pic.twitter.com/E7v1fQaaCn— Salem Police Department (@SalemPoliceDept) March 28, 2021
One man whose patriotic-themed pickup was vandalized by the rioters got out of his vehicle and pulled a gun to back the crowd away, a video clip posted by journalist Andy Ngo showed.
The man immediately complied with an officer’s order to drop the weapon and to get onto the ground.
He was subsequently arrested, according to Ngo.
Breaking: #Antifa smash up a man’s truck at the Oregon state Capitol in Salem. He pulls out a gun and is arrested by responding police. #AntifaRiots pic.twitter.com/H4LTseLllo
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) March 28, 2021
According to the Statesman Journal, the rioters had broken out one of the windows of the man’s truck.
The SPD also said a vehicle “sustained significant damage after a large tree limb was thrown through the front window into the vehicle’s passenger seat.”
Police responded to the area and ended up shutting Court Street down due to the “reports of criminal activity” taking place, according to the press release.
The Oregon State Police (OSP) and the SPD crowd management teams responded and declared an unlawful assembly, which police said deterred the caravan from the Freedom Rally from coming to the area where antifa had tried to take over.
A truck with an American flag drives through a crowd of counter protestors in Salem, Oregon pic.twitter.com/IdMdalXqPQ
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) March 28, 2021
Police ordered the Fascist Free 503 group over to the capitol mall.
“No force was used as the individuals complied with commands,” the SPD noted.
But when the OSP teams disengaged and headed back to the capitol, the antifa group started wreaking havoc in the streets surrounding the state grounds.
“Several altercations and property damage were reported including a reported incident of paintball guns being used, and a firearm displayed,” the SPD said.
#salemoregon UPDATE at 1542 Audible announcements: You are participating in an unpermitted event and blocking Court ST. Exit the roadway and obey all laws. Failure to do so may result in arrest. Stay on the sidewalks and exit the roadway. pic.twitter.com/lG13ggA8AZ
— Salem Police Department (@SalemPoliceDept) March 28, 2021
Police ended up deploying less-lethal rounds as they took two of three suspects into custody.
Andrew Foy, 34, was arrested on charges of second-degree criminal trespass and second-degree disorderly conduct.
Anthony Villaneda, 18, was arrested on five counts of unlawful pointing of a laser.
Nathan McFarland, 33, was arrested for second-degree disorderly conduct.
Protesters throw objects at red truck with American flag. #SalemOR pic.twitter.com/z5Q5mn3obe
— Virginia Barreda (@vbarreda2) March 28, 2021
All three suspects were booked into the Marion County Correctional Facility, according to the SPD.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
