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Major networks ignore nightly violence and riots in Portland as mayor blames it on Trump administration

July 17, 2020 | | Print Article

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Major news networks have been ignoring nightly rioting in Portland, Ore., which is being led mostly by elements of Antifa and Black Lives Matter, despite the fact that portions of the downtown area have been under siege for nearly two months.

“For almost 50 days, Black Lives Matter Marxists have been engaging in almost nightly battles with federal agents outside the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, effectively turning the streets into a war zone,” Nick Fondacaro of NewsBusters noted Thursday. “Covering up the actions of the militant wing of their party, the broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) hid their violence from viewers.”

The lone exception has been Fox News, which has covered the perpetual unrest for two straight evenings, Fondacaro noted.

In addition to covering the violence, the network also focused on the city’s Leftist mayor, Ted Wheeler, who, earlier this week, essentially blamed the lawlessness on the Trump administration.

“Today the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security asked to speak with me about demonstration activity in Portland. He expressed his concern about ongoing violence and asked how his agency can help,” Wheeler tweeted Tuesday, referencing Chad Wolf.

“I told the Acting Secretary that my biggest immediate concern is the violence federal officers brought to our streets in recent days, and the life-threatening tactics his agents use,” Wheeler added. “We do not need or want their help.”

In particular, Wheeler complained about the deployment by federal protective officers of tear gas and pepper spray after someone tried gaining access to a federal courthouse using a hammer.

Following Wheeler’s response to Wolf, the acting DHS secretary blasted local officials for allowing BLM and Antifa elements to take over portions of the city and to besiege the federal courthouse and agents inside.

“The city of Portland has been under siege for 47 straight days by a violent mob while local political leaders refuse to restore order to protect their city,” Wolf said in a statement Thursday.

“Each night, lawless anarchists destroy and desecrate property, including the federal courthouse, and attack the brave law enforcement officers protecting it,” he added.

“A federal courthouse is a symbol of justice – to attack it is to attack America,” Wolf wrote, accusing Oregon’s leaders of not addressing the violence while, at the same time, “placing blame on law enforcement and requesting fewer officers in their community.

“This failed response has only emboldened the violent mob as it escalates violence day after day,” Wolf continued, saying that the “siege” against the city will end once officials take action and step up to enforce the law.

During a “Special Report” segment Thursday, Fox News anchor Brett Baier noted, “A top Trump administration official is condemning how the City of Portland is dealing with protests that have turned into nightly clashes with law enforcement, sometimes violent.

“And the mayor is blaming federal forces for inciting the violence,” he added.

Baier then handed off the segment to national correspondent Will La Jeunesse, who noted, “Homeland Security claims that protesters set fire, sprayed graffiti, and assaulted police with cans, rocks, fireworks, lasers, and slingshots.

He added that one alleged assailant has been charged for “assaulting a U.S. Marshall with a hammer.”

“Wheeler insists that the protesters are largely peaceful and wants federal police to leave Portland altogether,” La Jeunesse continued.

“This isn’t the first time Wheeler has clashed with the feds. In 2018, protesters created Occupy ICE and for weeks harassed federal agents as they entered the building. Wheeler cheered them on,” he noted further.

“The federal government building in Portland has long been a target for Rose City Antifa and now Black Lives Matter, who tried to set up a Seattle-style autonomous zone outside the building.”

Fondacaro is not alone in his criticism about the dearth of national news coverage regarding the ongoing violence in Portland, which essentially enables the rioters.

“I’ve seen w/my eyes the unbelievable violence carried out by Antifa militants night-after-night,” independent journalist Andy Ngo, who is based in the city, noted on Twitter.

“One of the biggest scandals of the last 50 days is how Portland media & politicians describe rioters as peaceful while declaring police violent agitators. This lie keeps riots going.”

Ngo has posted several videos to his Twitter account over the past several weeks documenting the violence and acts of domestic terrorism:

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Jon Dougherty
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