The far-right “western chauvinist” street gang known as the Proud Boys is already talking about a follow-up rally next month in Portland, Oregon, following their rally there on Saturday, August 17.
Local anti-fascist resistance is growing, however, and anti-fascist activists say they emerged from their counterprotest against the Proud Boys last Saturday with a strengthened and historic coalition of organizations that will continue to make fascism unwelcome in their community.
Portland was in the news frequently in the lead-up to Saturday’s fascist rally as right-wing leaders called for the event with increasingly violent rhetoric, which put anti-fascists and the rest of the city on high alert.
The story of how the protest and counterprotest on Saturday played out illustrates how strong and broad the local anti-fascist coalition has become.
