Members of the far-right Proud Boys and Trump supporters violently clashed with Black Lives Matter protesters at the Oregon State Capitol Building in Salem in videos that are being circulated on social media.
Hundreds of Trump supporters gathered in Oregon City, Oregon on Labor Day for a pro-Trump Cruise rally, which ended in Salem, where they were joined by members of the Proud Boys armed with firearms, batons, bear spray and baseball bats.
BLM Protesters Attacked by Armed Pro-Trump Militia
In one clash between the groups, members of the pro-Trump group were seen violently attacking BLM protesters with a baseball bat and pepper spray. In video footage shared by Oregon Public Broadcasting journalist Sergio Olmos on Twitter, the group is seen rushing a group of protesters before one of them is struck with a baseball bat while another is tackled to the ground.
The Proud Boys member then rains blows on the protester lying face down on the ground. "How does that feel you piece of sh*t?" someone can be heard saying to the protester before another Trump supporter says, "Get up you f*cking pussy." The protester is then sprayed with a pepper spray-like deterrent.
The man who apparently threw the first punch at the counter-protester on the ground was later arrested, Olmos reported.
'Get Out of Here, You F*g'
In another similar video clip shared by Olmos, two Proud Boys members, one armed with a paintball gun, are seen chasing a BLM protester before one of them assaults the protester, knocks him to the ground and then pins him down with his knee over his body as he continues to repeatedly punch him.
"Get out of here, you f*g," the pro-Trump militia member can be heard saying to the protester before Salem police break up the altercation and arrest the Proud Boys. Watch both video clips below:
The event comes a week after a rally in Portland where clashes between BLM protesters and right-wing groups ended in a fatality. Jay Danielson, a supporter of local right-wing group Patriot Prayer, was shot and killed as he walked through Portland streets holding a can of mace and a collapsible baton. His alleged killer, Michael Reinoehl, was killed by police as they attempted to take him into custody.
