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A police officer reported seeing an antifascist protester openly carrying a handgun during an Aug. 4 protest, according to dispatch records newly released by the Portland Police Bureau.
The real-time remark supports statements made by Chief Danielle Outlaw after the protest alleging that both right-wing and left-wing groups had firearms in their midst.
Police spokesman Christopher Burley says officers could not approach the gun owner during the protest. "Events such as this one are quickly evolving and officers often cannot wade into a crowd to contact people," he says.
In an interview on the Lars Larson Show on Aug. 15, Outlaw said that police focused on the antifascist crowd because they "lobbing projectiles and setting off smoke bombs and, you know, showing up in flak jackets and bringing guns and wearing helmets," But PPB did not provide any police reports or other details about the left-wing protesters possessing guns, and the claim drew some derision.
The dispatch reports buttress her statement, and show that police thought at least one antifascist protester had a pistol.
Related: Dispatch records show Portland police fired flash-bangs into crowd to recover their police cruisers.
Right-wing protesters who rallied around Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson talked extensively online about their plans to bring firearms to the Aug. 4 event. Gibson moved the rally to Tom McCall Waterfront Park specifically so that his supporters could open carry at the demonstration.
Portland police encountered four men stationed atop a downtown parking garage with three unloaded rifles in cases around 10:30 am the morning of the protest. Officers asked them to lock the rifles in a box in the back of the group's pickup truck and keep ammunition separate in a different part of the truck. The group complied with the order.
The dispatch records show that officers continued to monitor the men through at least 2 pm. An officer told dispatch that the rifles had never been pointed.
Complainants called dispatch throughout the day on Aug. 4 to report a number of assaults, including at least two attacks by groups of Proud Boys. Callers also reported antifascists macing Patriot Prayer supporters. In at least one incident that appears to have involved Tusitala "Tiny" Toese, an individual threatened other people with a knife.