Man gets 10-year for actions during August 2020 anti-racism protests in Portland

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A far-right extremist has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his violent actions during the August 2020 protests against racial injustice in Oregon’s largest city.

Alan Swinney has been convicted of unlawful use of a weapon, attempted assault, pointing one gun at another, and illegal second-degree mass use, among other charges, Oregon reported Public Broadcasting.

Portlanders have seen near-nightly protests after a white officer assassinated George Floyd, a black man, in Minneapolis last year, with rallies erupting into chaos and counter-protests.

As evidenced by the escalation of violence, letters, social media statements and testimonies from the accused, the accused has no remorse for his actions, no desire to change and any intention to engage in future acts of violence, wrote Assistant District Attorney Nathan Vasquez in a sentencing memo. .

Swinney, 51, was among dozens of far-right protesters on Aug. 22, 2020, who fired paintball guns and mass-sprayed anti-fascist protesters in a violent brawl in downtown Portland .

Many in the crowd carried guns, but authorities said at one point Swinney pulled out a gun and pointed it at the crowd of counter-protesters.

To support their sentencing recommendation, prosecutors included a handwritten letter Swinney attempted to send to Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of Floyd’s murder, sparking months of protests in the nationwide.

In the letter, Swinney expressed sympathy for Chauvin after his conviction, telling him to keep his head up as he could win on appeal or be released in other ways.

Another thing that can end up working in your favor is that this country is heading for civil war, Swinney wrote. I see it ramping up. Civil war will get you out of jail. It’ll get me out too.

Swinney is a member of the far-right group the Proud Boys.

He had previously admitted, as part of a civil settlement, to assaulting a woman during a protest in August 2020 in Portland.

(Only the title and image of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)

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