ANALYSIS – For the first time in half a century, the Oregon National Guard has been deployed onto city streets by the Democrat governor to quell violent leftist and anarchist riots. Humvees rolled through downtown Portland and National Guard troops in camouflage took to the streets to move out rioters and protesters.

Portland protest day after the election pic.twitter.com/KEgaBoKzHN

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 5, 2020

Portland police and Oregon national guard pic.twitter.com/pWul5tXiwD

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 5, 2020

This, after months of non-stop rioting, looting, and arson in Portland, and elsewhere. But why now? And where is the media outrage?

Well, it appears that with the election over, the rioting no longer serves a political purpose to bash President Trump.

The Democrat state’s months-long refusal to forcefully counter the rioting forced President Trump to deploy federal law enforcement officers to protect federal personnel and assets, such as the federal courthouse in Portland. An action that was ferociously condemned by the dominant media and opposition politicians.

In the current wave of leftist violence, according to OPB.org “Protesters marched through downtown Portland on Wednesday night in a march planned regardless of the outcome of the presidential election. Chanting ‘No cops, no prisons, total abolition,’ some demonstrators smashed windows of local businesses.”

Earlier in the day, reported OPB, “around 300 anti-capitalist and anarchist demonstrators, most of them wearing black clothing, gathered at the North Park Blocks in downtown Portland.”

Soon after. Gov. Kate Brown activated the Oregon National Guard to support local and state police, the Oregon State Police, acting as a unified command with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and the Portland Police Bureau, declared a riot, and ordered protestors to disperse, noted OPB.org.

Police officers repeatedly confronted the crowds and would then back off after crowds had dispersed. Oregon National Guard troops, “who were already on standby in anticipation of unrest with the election, held intersections and helped disperse the crowd,” reported OPB.org.

And in the ultimate show of hypocrisy, after months of dismissing the violence, and refusing to prosecute offenders, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt, a Democrat, issued a statement Thursday condemning the property destruction.

According to OPB.org, Schmidt said, without a hint of irony or shame:

What we saw last night — the destruction of property at multiple businesses including at a female-founded and women run local clothing store, at a church that provides healing and shelter, clothing, food and assistance to homeless individuals and people overcoming substance abuse and addiction and at a hotel that is committed to the revitalization of Old Town Chinatown — is unacceptable and criminal.

“He added that his office supports peaceful demonstrations, but he plans to work with law enforcement to prosecute people who engage in criminal behavior.”

I’m certain the law-abiding citizens of Portland are asking – “why not 5 months ago?”

Paul Crespo

Paul Crespo is the Managing Editor of American Defense News. A defense and national security expert, he served as a Marine Corps officer and as a military attaché with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at US embassies worldwide. Paul holds degrees from Georgetown, London, and Cambridge Universities. He is also CEO of SPECTRE Global Risk, a security advisory firm, and President of the Center for American Defense Studies, a national security think tank.