After vandals target Oregon Historical Society, director vows, 'Our mission will be undeterred'

[mahatmakanejeeves]

The quilt was returned.

After vandals target Oregon Historical Society, director vows, ‘Our mission will be undeterred’
Updated 12:57 PM; Today 12:15 PM

By Kale Williams | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Amid violent protests Sunday night in downtown Portland, several prominent statues were toppled, windows at Portland State University were smashed and police said gunshots were fired into an empty restaurant.

But the vandalism that seemed to gather the most ire from city and state officials occurred at the Oregon Historical Society, a bastion of diverse artifacts and exhibits on the 1200 block of Southwest Park Avenue.

Nearly a dozen windows in the institution’s pavilion were smashed, said Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk. Flares were tossed into the lobby, and a priceless quilt was taken. Preliminary estimates to repair the damage were about $25,000, Tymchuk told The Oregonian/OregonLive, though costs could end up higher.

The vandalism occurred during a protest organizers billed as an “Indigenous Day of Rage." The action was eventually declared a riot, and three people were arrested.

{snip}

[regnaD kciN]

1. I can't be the only one REALLY suspicious of this event...

I know the sort of protests that have been going on in Portland over the past few months, and this doesn't resemble any of them. Those protests had thousands of people, this one had approximately two hundred. Those encouraged livestreamers to show up and cover the events, both for publicity and protection against police malfeasance, in this one, people were forbidden to record the events, and those bystanders who tried to were attacked.

I'm not saying this was a group of right-wingers in disguise, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that those on the right set this whole thing in motion and publicized it, knowing that it would attract those on the radical fringe with a tendency to be violent.

[Mme. Defarge]

4. I live in Portland

and I have the same suspicion. Here is a very chilling quote from an article posted on the Bellingcat website on September 23rd of this year.

Patriot Coalition: Leaked Messages Show Far-Right Group's Plans for Portland Violence

Mark Melchi, a member of the chat group who also heads a militant anti-Antifa group named 1776 2.0, posted on August 17th: “My Group 1776 2.0. Has been fighting Antifa in Seattle, Portland, for months. They are all hit an run tactics from a few behind the main rows of people. When things get going. The Portland Ganges who also hide in Antifa will shoot you…Like they have done with a few of our guys. This won’t be a simple fist fight. People will get shot, stabbed and beat. We have fought with guys in Portland who are like giant Russians so, they’re not all soy boys. We must be ready to defend with lethal response. If we don’t get to enough of them they will just comeback when we leave, just like the Taliban did in Afghanistan. We need to make it dramatic enough for them not to want to return. Suggest wearing mask and nothing to identify you on Camera…to prevent any future prosecution.”

[Karadeniz]

2. I was skeptical, too.

[martouf]

3. I'd put money on the bet that it was Proud Boys and the like who did the vandalism

I will bet it was right-wingers who did vandalism.