Democratic politicians in ‘difficult position’ in handling antifa, says journalist

Journalist Andy Ngo on Monday said that liberal politicians in Portland, Ore., are in a difficult position in dealing with the antifascist group antifa after clashes involving the group at a conservative rally on Saturday in the city. 

“They’re [politicians] seeing the bill that the city has to pay when these people come out and wreak havoc on downtown Portland,” Ngo, an editor at Quillette, told Hill.TV’s Krystal Ball and Buck Sexton on “Rising.” 

“I’ve seen them [politicians] kind of distance themselves a bit more, but they don’t want to come out too strongly against the far-left because there’s a large constituency on the left who, although they were not participating in the tactics of antifa, or other similar movements, they share similar goals and sympathies,” he continued. 

“So it’s a difficult position for our Democratic politicians here to be in. I would like them to have more clarity in their leadership, and to come out against violence, against this type of anarchy, and not view it through a partisan lens as they are currently,” he said. 

Ngo was covering a “Him Too” rally on Saturday, which was organized by the far-right Patriot Prayer Group. The event was meant to draw attention to men facing false accusations following the nationwide “Me Too” movement. 

Supporters and counterprotesters, including antifa members, clashed during the event, resulting in six arrests, according to CBS News.

Ngo said on Twitter that he was assaulted by antifa members.

This is the mild event description for the Portland #HimToo event. In response, Portland’s far left has chosen to rage and claim this is an event for misogyny, racism, and fascism. pic.twitter.com/NsN7h2dfp6

— Andy C. Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 17, 2018

— Julia Manchester