Emerson Phillips
An alleged Antifa mob disrupted a GOP “Fund the Police” campaign event Saturday in Portland, Ore.
Videos by Rare
The event was being held by and in support of Stan Pulliam, the mayor of Sandy, Ore., and a state Republican gubernatorial candidate. Part of Pulliam’s platform is to better fund police in the Beaver State.
Portland police said demonstrators hurled smoke grenades, paint-filled balloons and fireworks at people attending the event. Two people were injured.
Pulliam described the scene during a Monday interview with “Fox & Friends First” guest host Joey Jones.
“The city of Portland – from roses to riots,” Pulliam said. “As a statewide candidate for governor, we should be able to go to the largest metropolitan community of our state and have a peaceful campaign rally. Of course, less than 15 minutes in, we’re greeted by Antifa, showing up with firecrackers that they’re throwing at us, paint, feces all over our campaign [signs], our campaign bus completely destroyed.”
“It’s unbelievable,” Pulliam continued. “We have video footage evidence that’s all over Twitter, all over social media, the local news has picked it up, and just like you say, they’re claiming it didn’t even happen.”
The event took place near police headquarters in downtown Portland, but the resource-strapped Portland Police Bureau reportedly took more than 20 minutes to respond, and the event was cut short.
The “underfunded police didn’t show in time to allow our free speech,” Pulliam said.
“We called the police, we called 911,” he said. “In fact, at the Justice of Peace Center, we were just outside of their headquarters, sat on hold for over 20 minutes. No police officers ever arrive until the very end, just to take our statement.”
Pulliam contrasted when Portland had 30 officers per 100,000 people in the 1970s to the present-day ratio of eight per 100,000.
“And then we wonder why we have all the violence and destruction happening on our streets,” he said. “That’s why we’re running for governor. Republicans are looking for a fighter, and we’re going to take this fight all the way to the governor’s office.”
A statement from the PPB confirmed that while a sergeant began monitoring the situation and gathering available resources, there “were only a few officers available in the precinct.”
