A black veteran was filmed holding the American flag in Portland, Oregon, this weekend while telling protesters, “None of you guys represent black lives.”
Gabriel Johnson, who says he’s an eight-year veteran of the Marines, sought to decorate a barrier surrounding the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse with the American flag because he’s tired of the violent protests in the city, according to local media outlets.
“I felt compelled to show my patriotism and to try to bring a different message to the courthouse,” Johnson said, according to FOX 12.
You might recognize Gabriel from last night. He was at the courthouse with an American flag. He tells me it’s not political, that he felt compelled to stand with the flag as a symbol of patriotism, unity, and freedom, and to show people violence is not the American way pic.twitter.com/TCxyAoLqCa
— Audrey Weil (@audreytweil) July 20, 2020
“My narrative is simply we all need to come together. Man, that’s it. You’re mad at me because I got a flag?” he told a protester.
“If you stand for justice, come here and stand with me,” Johnson yelled at protesters Saturday night in a video posted to social media. “Stand with me because I’m here for justice. I’m not here to tear down this f—ing fence; I’m not here to spray paint. It’s going on every day. If you don’t want to get gassed, stop! If you don’t want to get gassed, stop! It has to stop! None of you guys represent black lives. Sit and protest. Sit and protest.”
A man with an American flag ask why the mob is ripping down the fence in front of the Federal Courthouse #Portland pic.twitter.com/XP5QZtLTRO
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) July 19, 2020
Johnson lives close to the courthouse, which has seen repeated nights of violent protests, and said the explosions he’s heard reminded him of Iraq.
“On Friday night, I counted 82 explosions, house full of gas. I’m on the 12th floor here. It reminded me of being in Iraq and my experience of being in Iraq, not here in Portland, not where it’s supposed to be safe, not where it’s supposed to be peaceful,” he said.
The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day set off a wave of protests against police brutality and racial inequality in cities across the country, including Portland.
“I support the city; I support the police; I support us coming together because it’s about time,” Johnson told local outlet KOIN. “It’s been 60-plus days of us being out in the street and like, what’s been accomplished?”
President Trump tweeted on Sunday night, “We are trying to help Portland, not hurt it. Their leadership has, for months, lost control of the anarchists and agitators. They are missing in action. We must protect Federal property, AND OUR PEOPLE. These were not merely protesters, these are the real deal!”
We are trying to help Portland, not hurt it. Their leadership has, for months, lost control of the anarchists and agitators. They are missing in action. We must protect Federal property, AND OUR PEOPLE. These were not merely protesters, these are the real deal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2020
The mayor of Portland, Ted Wheeler, has repeatedly said that federal law enforcement officials in the city are not welcome. The Democrat said on Sunday that the federal officers in the city have made the riots worse by arresting and pulling protesters into unmarked vans.
[Read more: House Democrats ask inspectors general to investigate use of federal officers at Portland protests]
“Well, the president has a complete misunderstanding of cause and effect. What’s happening here is, we have dozens, if not hundreds, of federal troops descending upon our city,” said Wheeler on CNN. “And what they’re doing is, they are sharply escalating the situation. Their presence here is actually leading to more violence and more vandalism. And it’s not helping the situation at all. They’re not wanted here. We haven’t asked them here. In fact, we want them to leave. What we’re seeing is a blatant abuse of police tactics by the federal government, by a Trump administration that’s falling in the polls. And this is a direct threat to our democracy.”
