Portland Mayor Calls for Peace As Many Seek Retribution
Portland mayor, including other state officials, is bracing for an increase of protest-related violence as many social media posts are vowing revenge for a fatal shooting during the weekend.
The shooting was between supporters of U.S President Donald Trump and counter-demonstrators.
"For those of you saying on Twitter this morning that you plan to come to Portland to seek retribution, I'm calling on you to stay away," Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler was quoted in a report.
He also criticized Trump for political rhetoric that he said "encouraged division and stroked violence."
Portland mayor Wheeler also brushed aside a series of tweets from the president attacking Wheeler and urging the Portland mayor to request help from the federal government to restore order.
Wheeler said that Trump's tweets were an aggressive stance and is not collaborative.
"I'd appreciate it if the president would support us or stay the hell out of the way," Wheeler said.
Portland mayor Wheeler and Police Chief Chuck Lovell said investigators were still working to establish the events' sequence, which caused the fatal shooting on Saturday.
They both provided few new details about the investigation.
Clash Between Pro-Trump Protesters and Counter Demonstrators
Lovell said they have yet to know whether the shooting was linked conflict between protesters in pickup trucks waving pro-Trump flags and the counter-protesters on the streets.
Video on social media showed people in the beds of pickups firing paintballs and spraying chemical irritant to opposing protesters.
People on the street hurled objects at the trucks and tried to block them.
Officials have yet to determine the shooting victim. But New York Times reported that the man gunned down was wearing a hat with the insignia of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer.
Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson confirmed that the victim was a member of a right-wing group. Gibson added that he knew the victim.
Gibson said through a social media post that "Jay had such a good heart."
"God bless him and the life he lived. "I'm going to wait to make any public statements until after the family can," Gibson was quoted.
Trump later re-tweeted the photo of Jay Bishop and wrote in that post that he was a good American who loved his country.
Groups Calling For Portland Mayor's Resignation
The Portland mayor was also under fire when several left-wing Oregon-based civil rights and community organizations have been at odds and called for his resignation in an open letter on Sunday.
"Amid 94 days and nights of protests against police brutality, Mayor Wheeler has fundamentally failed in his responsibilities to the residents of Portland," the group said through their letter.
Meanwhile, police warned against people using Twitter based on misinformation.
Lovell said many share information on social media who are jumping to conclusions that are not based on facts.
The report said protests have grown violent at times, have shaken downtown Portland every night for more than three months after the May 25 killing of George Floyd.
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