Antifa torches Portland mayor’s apartment on his birthday

A Portland resident who has worked downtown for 15 years asserted that his place of employment on campus is "safe and sound."

"The buildings are not on fire. There is not lawlessness in the streets. Most folks are still social distancing and trying to stay home. Like every other city in the United States," tweeted Nick Walden Poublon, a self-described health advisor and advocate for Portland State University and a Biden-Harris supporter.

However, a few blocks away, a building was very much on fire as a tightly-packed crowd with very little social distancing ventured outside their homes to torch their elected official's home and that of numerous other Portland civilians.

Over the weekend, protestors had occupied the Portland mayor's apartment building to demand his resignation. When the lock-in demonstration in Wheeler's apartment lobby failed, agitators attempted to burn his residence down with children reportedly living in the complex.

Mike Baker, a correspondent for The New York Times, reported that an instigator must have lit off what appeared to be illegal commercial-grade fireworks on Monday night to "celebrate" Wheeler's birthday.

While wearing party hats, protestors sung "Happy tear gas to you" to the tune of "Happy Birthday." Others danced the "Macarena." A beating of drums and a pounding of pots and pans chimed in to a whistling overlay.

Portland Police Bureau reported that a riot was declared shortly after as "[i]t was critical to secure the area to allow firefighters to respond to this dangerous situation." The mob was ordered over the loudspeaker to evacuate the area near NW 10th Ave to the west or face arrest, citation, or crowd control agents including tear gas or impact weapons. Few, if any, complied.

The scene outside showed a picnic bench burning in the middle of the street with 200 black bloc protesters surrounding the site of arson. A large "RESIGN" sign stretched across while a blow horn blared several times.

Last month, Wheeler was tear-gassed by federal agents as he attempted to join his fellow demonstrators at a police brutality rally, claiming he “saw nothing that provoked this response” even as rioters set the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse on fire.

Conservative media analyst Mark Dice noted: "Frankenstein has turned on its master."

At first, in an attempt to de-escalate, PPB reported that officers stayed out of sight and monitored the situation from a distance.

Then Portland police arrived on scene to chase down the fleeing Antifa militants. Near the closed down CULT store on NW Glisan St, a rioter was tackled to the ground by an officer and was repeatedly punched in the face. The arrest was made soon after.

Earlier in the night, Antifa agents also calmly demolished a random business to protest police and Wheeler. "Ted is the Feds" was graffitied on the pillar in the background of a video filming the criminal activity. "Ur next Teddy" was also visible.

A handful of protesters wielded makeshift batons to smash the storefront's windows.

"Yeah, finish that one!" a woman holding a spray paint can in one hand directed the vandalizers.

The unlawful dozen then reportedly stole furniture to use as tinder for their fire, setting the office's lobby ablaze.

Antifa also set reportedly lit a black-owned dentist office on fire.

"This is the language of the unheard" was painted next to a gaping, battered-in hole. "Cops = KKK" and "Cops & Klan go hand in hand" were also brandished on a building's facade.

Outside Wheeler's condo in the wake of the deadly Antifa shooting, rioters wrote: “How much does it take to show you we are serious.”

Rocks and paint balloons were launched at officers as debris was stacked in the middle of the road to create barricades. By 2:00 a.m., most of the gathering dispersed. Officers deployed crowd control munitions but no CS gas was used.

Nineteen arrests were made with some suspects in possession of weapons, including knives and at least one expandable baton. All adults were booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on several of the listed charges: riot, disorderly conduct, interfering with a peace officer, attempted assault on a public safety officer, criminal mischief, and carrying a concealed weapon. One juvenile was referred to juvenile court.