Portland Police have arrested a far-right protester and member of the Proud Boys who pointed a gun at antifascist protesters on Aug. 22 in downtown Portland.
Alan James Swinney, 50, is being held in the Multnomah County Jail on multiple assault charges, pointing a firearm at another, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful use of tear gas, stun gun or mace.
Photographs and video from the Aug. 22 rally outside the Multnomah County Justice Center depict Swinney pointing a revolver at a crowd of counterprotesters. Many far-right protesters at the event used weapons such as paintball guns and baseball bats to assault opposing protesters, though there was no police intervention that day due to staffing shortages, police have said.
Alan swinney pulls a gun on the crowd. No shots fired. pic.twitter.com/f0jKX6nmNv
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 22, 2020
Swinney had originally claimed police had cleared him of any wrongdoing related to the violent street brawl that took place at that protest.
Jail records show police booked Swinney the morning after President Trump told the Proud Boys — a designated hate group that regularly engages in street violence — to “stand by” after he was asked to denounce white supremacists and violent extremists at Tuesday night’s presidential debate.
This story will be updated.
