Portland mayor threat

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In January 2019, Reggie Axtell, a member of the Proud Boys, threatened Ted Wheeler, Portland, Oregon's Democratic mayor, in a Facebook video post. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Axtell said in the video that Wheeler's "days are fucking numbered ... I promise you this, Ted Wheeler: I'm coming for you, you little punk." Axtell also said that he would "unmask every [anti-fascist] son of a bitch that I come across", referring to a campaign initiated by Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson, Proud Boy Tusitala "Tiny" Toese and former Proud Boy Russell Schultz to tear off the bandanas of anti-fascist demonstrators and taking pictures of their faces, thereby "demasking" them. The announcement of the campaign came shortly after an altercation that took place when Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer members attempted and failed to invade a chapter meeting of the left-wing organization Democratic Socialists of America. The groups clashed with anti-fascist activists nearby after being denied entry to the meeting, and said that they had been attacked.[1][2][3]


Tusitala "Tiny" Toese and Proud Boys in Seattle in 2017[4]


The Proud Boys at an Ohio event in 2020

Washington resident and Proud Boys member Tusitala "Tiny" Toese, known for brawling in the streets of Portland and Seattle during political protests,[5] was arrested in Washington on August 28, 2020.[6] He was wanted for multiple probation violations related to his 2018 misdemeanor assault conviction that left a protester with stitches and a concussion in June 2018.[6][7] Toese, previously affiliated with Patriot Prayer, had been observed participating in other assaults with members of the Proud Boys, including an assault at a Clark County, Washington mall in May 2018[8] and an assault in Seattle in June 2020.[7]


Proud Boys affiliate and brawler Tusitala "Tiny" Toese was filmed in the zone punching a man and breaking his cell phone on June 15.[9][10][11] Toese has been known in the Pacific Northwest for fighting as a leader of Patriot Prayer[12] and, after early 2019, as a chauvinist member of the Proud Boys.[9][13] He has been described as "the right-wing protester most frequently arrested in Portland."[14] Toese, a Washington state resident,[11] is the subject of several reports by Portland's Willamette Week.[14][15] He had not been prosecuted for violent offenses (despite his confession and witness confirmations), leading to accusations that law enforcement enables his behavior.[14] Toese was later arrested for violating probation, due to video evidence of assault in the CHOP.[11][12]


In January 2019, Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson, Proud Boy Tusitala "Tiny" Toese and former Proud Boy Russell Schultz initiated a campaign to tear off the bandanas of antifa demonstrators and taking pictures of their faces. The announcement of the campaign came shortly after an altercation that took place when Patriot Prayer and Proud Boys members attempted and failed to invade a chapter meeting of the Democratic Socialists of America. The groups clashed with anti-fascist activists nearby after being denied entry to the meeting, and claimed to be attacked.[16][17][18]

In June 2017, a Patriot Prayer protest was held a week after the racist slayings in the 2017 Portland train attack. Alt-right demonstrators such as Todd Kelsay and Tusitala “Tiny” Toese assisted Department of Homeland Security officers detain and arrest counter-protesters.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Proud Boy Threatens Portland Mayor: 'I'm Coming For You'". Southern Poverty Law Center. 2019-01-25. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  2. ^ Anapol, Avery (2019-01-29). "'Proud Boys' threatens Portland mayor in Facebook video: report". TheHill. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  3. ^ Wilson, Jason (2019-01-29). "Portland: far-right activist threatens mayor as groups change tactics". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  4. ^ "Tusitola "Tiny" Toese explained why the Proud Boys took to the streets of Portland on Saturday, August 22, 2020". KOIN (TV). August 23, 2020. Archived from the original on October 11, 2020.
  5. ^ "Warrant issued for Vancouver 'Proud Boy' busted at Seattle protest". KOMO. August 12, 2020. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Wilson, Conrad (August 29, 2020). "Proud Boy Tusitala "Tiny" Toese arrested in Clark County". OPB. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Tusitala 'Tiny' Toese arrested on probation violation". The Columbian. June 25, 2020. Archived from the original on August 23, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  8. ^ Wilson, Conrad (January 14, 2020). "Patriot Prayer's Tusitala 'Tiny' Toese Pleads Guilty To Assault Charge". OPB. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :31 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :25 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b c "Notorious 'Proud Boy' arrested in Oregon after fighting in Seattle's CHOP zone". KOMO. June 25, 2020. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Connor, Tracy (June 25, 2020). "Proud Boy Jailed After Being Caught on Video in Seattle Protest Zone". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  13. ^ Evans, Robert (2019-02-11). "In Portland, A Roving Right-Wing Gang "Demasks" Left-Wing Activists". Bellingcat. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
  14. ^ a b c Shepherd, Katie (February 20, 2019). "Portland Police Built a Convincing Case Against Tusitala "Tiny" Toese for a June 2018 Assault. But Prosecutors Didn't Take It to Court". Willamette Week. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
  15. ^ Shepherd, Katie (September 12, 2017). "Patriot Prayer's Most Prolific Fighter Arrested By Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, Released Without Posting Bail". Willamette Week. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
  16. ^ "Proud Boy Threatens Portland Mayor: 'I'm Coming For You'". Southern Poverty Law Center. January 25, 2019. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  17. ^ Anapol, Avery (January 29, 2019). "'Proud Boys' threatens Portland mayor in Facebook video: report". TheHill. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  18. ^ Wilson, Jason (January 29, 2019). "Portland: far-right activist threatens mayor as groups change tactics". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  19. ^ Arun Gupta (8 June 2017). "Playing Cops: Militia Member Aids Police in Arresting Protester at Portland Alt-right Rally". The Intercept. Retrieved 13 September 2020.

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