Portland Police have detained a member of the Proud Boys who pointed a gun at Antifa protesters in August during a protest downtown, the ...
Portland Police have detained a member of the Proud Boys who pointed a gun at Antifa protesters in August during a protest downtown, the day after President Donald Trump told the far-right group to 'stand back and stand by.'
Alan James Swinney, 50, has been charged with multiple assault charges, pointing a firearm at another, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful use of tear gas, stun gun or mace.
He is currently being held at the Multnomah County Jail.
Video and photos from the August 22 rally in Portland shows Swinney pointing a revolver at a crowd of counter-protesters.
Police have cited staffing shortages as to why they did not intervene when many far-right protesters used paintball guns and baseball bats to assault the members of Antifa.
Swinney initially claimed that police had cleared him of any wrongdoing as it relates to the violent clashes that took place on August 22.
Video and photos from the August 22 rally in Portland shows Swinney pointing a revolver at a crowd of counter-protesters
Alan Swinney, a Proud Boy, fires sting-balls at a counter-protester
Proud Boys is a far-right organization that admits only men as members and promotes and engages in political violence. The group believes white men and western culture are under siege and one of its co-founders recorded a video titled '10 things I hate about the Jews.'
Swinney was booked in jail the day after Trump struggled to condemn white supremacy at the presidential debate, instead choosing to focus on the far-right group.
'Proud boys, stand back and stand by, but I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem, this is a left-wing problem,' he said.
Swinney initially claimed that police had cleared him of any wrongdoing as it relates to the violent clashes that took place on August 22
Alan Swinney uses a paintball gun during clashes at a protest against police brutality and racial injustice in Portland
During last night's presidential debate, Trump asserted that in 'Portland, the sheriff just came out today and he said, I support President Trump'.
But Mike Reese, the sheriff of Multnomah County which includes Portland, quickly retorted that 'I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him'.
Portland has been the scene of months of angry protests which the president has seized on to promote his 'law and order' agenda, but the sheriff said Trump had 'made my job a hell of a lot harder since he started talking about Portland'.
Mike Reese (pictured left), the sheriff of Multnomah County which includes Portland, rejected a claim by Donald Trump (right) that he was supporting the president's re-election campaign
The Oregon sheriff said Donald Trump had 'made my job a hell of a lot harder since he started talking about Portland' in the wake of months-long race protests
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