ANDY NGO REPORTS: Portland Antifa knife attack suspect re-arrested after breaking release terms

PORTLAND, Ore. — A violent Portland leftist activist who was federally charged in June over a knife attack on federal agents has been re-arrested and ordered held in jail after violating release conditions.

Julie Mikela Winters, formerly known as Christopher Hudson, was arrested June 24 during an Antifa riot outside the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in southwest Portland. Video showed Winters brandishing a long-bladed weapon at DHS agents guarding the facility before hurling it as a projectile toward one of them.
 

Winters pleaded not guilty to felony attempted assault of a federal officer with a deadly weapon, and was held for two weeks before being released July 8 by Judge Youlee Yim You to the Northwest Regional Reentry Center, a halfway house-style facility. Prosecutors said Winters violated release conditions last week by returning to the ICE facility area.
 

At a hearing Monday in the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in downtown, Judge Yim You considered arguments from prosecutors and the defense about whether Winters should be released again. Loud, violent outbursts from Winters disrupted the proceeding.

“I don’t want this man anywhere near me!” Winters shouted, referring to his public defender, Michael Benson, as U.S. Marshals brought him into court.

Federal prosecutor Lewis Burkhart told the judge that Winters was violent when re-arrested on Aug. 20. He said it took five marshals to restrain Winters, and at least one marshal was allegedly assaulted by Winters during the apprehension.

After Winters again grew agitated toward his attorney, US marshals cleared the courtroom to restore order. When the session resumed, Winters was represented by another lawyer, Benjamin Andersen, who admitted Winters had violated release terms but asked that he be allowed to return to his apartment near the ICE building.

Additionally, Andersen argued against Winters returning to the mental facility on unsubstantiated claims that he contracted HPV, a sexually transmitted disease, and was forced to be housed in “a communal area with a bunch of men despite identifying as a nonbinary woman.”

Burkhart also told the court his office had been alerted by a tipster about threatening social media posts by Winters after his earlier release. Winters then began shouting journalist Andy Ngo’s name, accusing him of being the source of the tip. Ngo has not contacted prosecutors about Winters.

Judge Yim You ultimately sided with prosecutors and ordered Winters held without release, citing “serious violations” of pre-trial release conditions.

During the June 24 riot, Winters attempted to flee on foot but was tased and taken into custody. Antifa-linked accounts at the time falsely claimed he died in custody.

Winters, originally from New Jersey, previously performed as a DJ under the name “Sense One.” After moving to Portland and transitioning, he underwent multiple cosmetic surgeries. Oregon taxpayers cover expensive transgender medical procedures for low-income people in the state. His attorney told the court he is unemployed.