Sophie Smith
Staff writer
Photo by Kegan Rascoe.
A crowd of armed right-wingers known as the Proud Boys gathered at the Oregon State Capitol Building on Monday, Sept. 7, drawing a group of counter-protestors that included several Willamette students. Online footage shows far-right demonstrators assaulting counter-protestors, including a Willamette student, resulting in the arrests and release of two right-wingers. Men affiliated with the Proud Boys also entered campus, University officials confirmed.
New York Times correspondent Mike Baker reported that a group of right-wing demonstrators, including other militant groups in addition to Proud Boys, gathered in the Portland area for a motor vehicle caravan demonstration on Labor Day. Footage shows the demonstrators illegally driving with covered license plates, the Statesman Journal confirmed.
A portion of the group traveled to Salem yesterday afternoon, where they gathered on the steps of the Capitol Building. The Statesman Journal reports that some in attendance were armed with guns, knives and bats.
Photo by Kegan Rascoe.
A group of 30-50 counter-protestors, including several Willamette students, gathered on the other side of Court Street. Oregon Public Broadcasting journalist Sergio Olmos reported that the right-wingers soon bull rushed the leftist group, physically assaulting and macing counter-protestors. A Willamette student is among the assaulted counter-protestors, according to Director of Campus Safety Ross Stout.
Two right-wingers, Ty Anthony and Trenton Wolfskill, were arrested for and charged with fourth-degree assault, reports the Statesman Journal. Anthony was also charged with first-degree intimidation, or a bias crime, for shouting slurs at a counter-protest. Both men were released later yesterday evening.
Stout also said members of the far-right pursued a student onto Willamette’s campus. The student made it safely into the Baxter complex.
Photo by Kegan Rascoe.
On Tuesday night, Lisa Landreman, vice president for Student Affairs, Jade Aguilar, vice president for equity, diversity and inclusion and Chaplain Karen Wood emailed the student body to share information and resources about how to stay safe while protesting. University President Steve Thorsett also emailed the student body on Tuesday to address Monday’s events.
Since yesterday’s events, Willamette students on social media have offered mutual aid to one another, offering to deliver food or medical supplies, as well as financial support.