Four people were arrested at a protest in downtown Portland, Oregon, on Saturday, where hundreds of far-right protesters were met with a counterprotest by far-left demonstrators.
Patriot Prayer held the rally, led by Republican Senate candidate Joey Gibson, who billed it as a free speech demonstration and campaign event. The counterprotesters were from the self-described "antifa" and a group called Popular Mobilization, which the Oregonian reported was formed to specifically counteract Gibson's rally.
Portland police confiscated a variety of weapons, including knives, bats, sticks, and shields decorated with Confederate flags. Demonstrators threw rocks, bottles, and "an unknown chemical agent" at officers, police said. The officers responded with flashbang grenades, pepper balls, and projectiles that Portland police said were "less lethal."
Some protesters accused the police of using excessive force.
