@BGOnTheScene/Twitter
January 4, 2021, 10:15 am*
Police turned on a gathering of Proud Boys in Salem, Oregon on New Year’s Day, resulting in arrests and in the Proud Boys “retaliating” by desecrating a Thin Blue Line flag.
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According to Newsweek, a number of people gathered at the state capitol for a “Mass Civil Disobedience” rally, mainly protesting COVID-19 restrictions. During the rally, a few hundred protesters began to march to Mahonia Hall, Governor Kate Brown’s official residence.
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The Statesman Journal‘s account of Friday’s events included an observation that “members of the far right-wing group Proud Boys patrolled the event at the Capitol and appeared to chase people from time to time.”
The publication also noted that “Salem Police made announcements that they were participating in an unpermitted march and told to exit the roadway, warning, ‘Enforcement actions may be taken for crimes committed.'”
Independent journalist Brendan Gutenschwager tweeted a video of police taking action upon making the unlawful assembly declaration.
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He went on to chronicle conflict between police and a group of Proud Boys on the scene, which included, as Gutenschwager termed it, “firing off pepper balls” in response to police trying to keep the Proud Boys “away from Antifa.”
The Twitter account also featured an alleged Trump supporter being arrested (and handcuffed with a zip-tie).
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As the Daily Dot observed, “The development is being seen with intrigue and cynicism, given police have been accused of having an “extra-friendly” relationship with the Proud Boys and other far-right organizations in the past on numerous occasions and have even been outed as members of said organizations.”
Newsweek shared a tweet from another account, from Mathieu Lewis-Rolland, showing what is characterized as “right and left-wing protestors” joining together to step on a Thin Blue Line flag in front of police.
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The flag is widely regarded as a symbol of support for police, though many also see it as symbolizing opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement.
*First Published: January 4, 2021, 10:13 am
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