An Antifa agitator accidentally set himself ablaze while attempting to torch an American flag outside a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon.
According to The Post Millennial, livestream footage captured the moment the masked activist briefly went up in flames as the fire spread from the flag to his clothing. The man managed to extinguish the flames within seconds and then, in a display of apparent nonchalance, resumed mingling with the gathered crowd.
The stunt unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing left-wing protests targeting the Portland ICE building, where demonstrators have repeatedly sought to undermine federal immigration enforcement. As reported by The Post Millennial, these protests have coincided with a federal court order further restricting officers ability to use tear gas while a lawsuit over crowd-control tactics proceeds.
US District Court Judge Amy Baggios order bars federal officers from deploying chemical munitions except when they reasonably fear for their lives, a standard critics argue leaves law enforcement with fewer tools to restore order. The judge herself acknowledged the sweeping nature of the ruling, calling it an extraordinary remedy.
This is an extraordinary case, she wrote, claiming that the use of gas made it difficult or impossible for (tenants) to eat, sleep, or simply breathe normally while in their own homes. Her language mirrors broader progressive efforts to prioritize the comfort of nearby residents and protesters over the operational needs of federal agents tasked with enforcing immigration law.
Portland officials have struggled for years to contain Antifa-linked disruptions aimed at ICE and other institutions of law and order. In February, a Portland City Council meeting was shut down for 45 minutes and branded a mini insurrection by city leaders after Antifa-affiliated Revoke ICE Permit PDX protesters stormed the chambers, forcing police to mobilize at least 26 officers to clear agitators from the room and adjoining lobby.
Login