Anyone who had an emergency that was not immediately life-threatening in or near Eugene, Oregon on Friday night were out of luck because law enforcement was forced to stop answering their calls. Around 75 Antifa Black Blok members were organized and ready to burn it all to the ground, so multiple agencies were forced to respond.
The level of coordination seemed similar to many of the riots and protests of 2020, but on a greater scope. The domestic terrorists were dressed as comrades ready for war, all clad in black, and with various types of weapons in what appeared to be a precursor to attacking a local pregnancy center.
As journalist Andy Ngo reported:
Kira Anne Elliott, 20, of Eugene, was arrested at the #Antifa black bloc attack in Eugene, Ore. She's a social justice coordinator at the private @BrynMawrCollege in PA. Officers were injured by the violent extremists. DHS had to provide emergency help to local police. pic.twitter.com/OBeqcDHVSl
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) June 26, 2022
Arrested at the #Antifa riot in Eugene, Ore. on June 24 where 75 militants gathered to attack a pregnancy resource center. All from Eugene & charged w/disorderly conduct:
Rachel Jean Tillman, 29
Brandon Emmanual Caletz, 24
Rhiannon Elizabeth Clayton, 19https://t.co/ilKAXO7N2n— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) June 26, 2022
Arrested at the #Antifa riot in Eugene, Ore. on June 24 where 75 militants gathered to attack a pregnancy resource center. They were all quickly released.
Alex Kendahl Woodward Franz, 18: Disorderly conduct
Elijah Gabriel Comer, 20: Disorderly conducthttps://t.co/aq4srOSzJ4 pic.twitter.com/TWM7wG692E
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) June 26, 2022
The details show extreme levels of organization. This was not a spontaneous response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. It put lives in danger as law enforcement had to deal with these domestic terrorists instead of helping the rest of their city. According to Eugene Police:
On June 24, Eugene Police began receiving reports of a group publicizing on social media for people to come to a “Night of Rage” in the wake of an opinion by the Supreme Court of the United States, Dobbs v. Jackson (related to Roe v. Wade). The group’s stated meeting point was Dove Medical Center, 487 E. 11th Avenue, for around 10 p.m.. Due to the potential for property damage toward a business located in Eugene, as well as the general safety and security of the other businesses and residents downtown, Eugene Police monitored the situation.
Around 9:21 p.m. people began arrived to the area wearing all black clothing with masks and hoods. Many also had backpacks that appeared to contain unknown objects. The crowd started growing and moved toward the medical building. Eugene Police’s Mobile Response Team arrived in the area to block the building using its vehicles and officers to surround the building. The crowd continued to grow and began blocking E. 11th Avenue by standing in the roadway. Some people were observed picking up rocks and several began putting on gas masks. One female had a chemical pump sprayer and she was pumping it up. Additional EPD Patrol resources were called in.
An officer used a public address system to admonish the group of more than 75 people that they were committing disorderly conduct and were subject to arrest. This had no effect on the crowd and they advanced closer to officers. Unknown people in the crowd threw smoke bombs at officers along with several filled water bottles. EPD’s Crisis Negotiation Team eventually used their sound truck, which has an LRAD system on their truck, to provide louder volumes to the admonishments so those could be hear over the crowd noise.
Those who remained in the roadway were subject to arrest. The crowd did not comply. After the first arrest, the crowd became extremely loud and verbally hostile toward the officers and tried to get through the line. EPD called in additional resources including Springfield Police Department and Department of Homeland Security. The incident forced EPD’s operations to go into what is termed ‘priority calls,’ where much of the rest of the community’s individual calls for service, if they are not immediate life-safety emergencies, to be placed on hold or not responded to. Springfield Police provided mutual aid for priority one calls. At one point, the crowd moved to Ferry street right at E. 11th Avenue. Police provided more admonishments and arrests were made, with people fighting with officers and not complying with lawful orders, leading to inert pepperballs (pepper balls with no chemical munitions) being deployed in a few cases at people’s feet and legs. At that point the crowd size decreased.
Some officers suffered minor injuries during the event, which lasted about five hours.
Of course, all who were arrested were released a short time later. It’s Oregon.
