The violence of the riots in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere, is barely considered by the mainstream media, which insists that the demonstrations are peaceful, contrasting with the facts, which is highlighted by renowned columnist Victor Joecks.
Joecks recounts some of the aggressions committed by the participants in the riots, who are linked to the extremist AntiFa group, in an article in the July 28 edition of Review-Journal.
“Criminals routinely throw frozen water bottles, bean cans, and rocks at federal officials. They throw high-powered lasers at the building to blind the officers. They throw commercial-grade fireworks at law enforcement.”
He says that some of the bombs are heard from a long distance and that 20 officers were injured last week.
The following is a transcript of how Reuters and ABC News described the riots.
“Peaceful protests and more arrests in Portland as demonstrations continue in the city,” Reuters Agency reported in a July 27 tweet.
Peaceful protests and more arrests in Portland as demonstrations continue in the city pic.twitter.com/aJwfhWcq8d
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 27, 2020
ABC News also reported on the peaceful nature of the demonstrations.
“A peaceful protest turned into an intense morning confrontation between the protesters and law enforcement in Oregon’s largest city,” it said.
@ABC might have the most creative descriptions of active decisions by protestors.
Here we see that peaceful protests “intensified” and “morphed” seemingly all on their own. pic.twitter.com/WAcDFt6ke5
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) July 27, 2020
This information omits other aspects that are the ones that really worry the population, and made the Trump administration decide to send in federal agents for the protection of public goods.
In this sense, the information from journalist Andy Ngo focuses on the violence that has kept the city of Portland on the verge of chaos for two months.
“The rioters are setting fire to everything they can and throwing it at the federal courthouse in Portland,” Ngo said in another of his many videos taken on the scene.
Rioters are lighting whatever they can on fire and throwing it at the Portland federal courthouse. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/2gKb3e39Q3
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 28, 2020
Ngo was classified and identified by the anarchists and then attacked by them, who also harassed him with laser beams.
“As Zielinski [editor for a Portland newspaper] knows, the Anti-Fas tried to kill me and showed up at my family’s house. However, she [Zielinski] stated exactly where I could be found to tens of thousands. Immediately Antifa tried to blind me with lasers. It was painful and I still have sensitivity to light.”
An editor for a Portland newspaper received intel from my antifa stalkers I was undercover. She then announced where I could be found to tens of thousands. Antifa immediately blinded me w/lasers & began following me. Alex Zielinski tried to get me killed. https://t.co/qDwMh3STwI
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 29, 2020
On the other hand, after two months of anarchy the mayor, Ted Wheeler, continues to support the aggressors, and the police are forbidden to collaborate with federal officials in restoring order in the city.
Moreover, Democratic leaders such as Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Jerry Nadler not only minimize the severity of the assaults but strongly criticized the sending in of federal agents to protect state property in Portland.
In short, it is clear to Joecks that the media does not want to report on the destruction and violence generated by the demonstrations that reactivated the activism of the Black Lives Matter movement, starting with the death of African-American George Floyd on May 25.
For his part, journalist Michael Tracey agrees with Joecks. For Tracey, the “media elites” tend to distort the reality that non-white working minorities tend to be conservative.
As a result, the media avoid giving voice to these people for fear of revealing their support for President Donald Trump and advantage his reelection drive in November.