The two main groups rallying today in #PDX — Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys. Here’s some background on the Proud Boys.
The Proud Boys are an @splcenter-designated hate group established in the midst of the 2016 presidential election by Gavin McInnes, who co-founded VICE, but was removed from the company over a decade ago.
splcenter.org/fighting-hate/…
splcenter.org/fighting-hate/…
The Proud Boys are self-described “western chauvinists” who adamantly deny any connection to the racist “alt-right,” insisting they are simply a fraternal group spreading an “anti-political correctness” and “anti-white guilt” agenda. splcenter.org/hatewatch/2017… 
Their disavowals of bigotry are belied by their actions: rank-and-file Proud Boys and leaders regularly spout white nationalist memes + maintain affiliations with extremists. They are known for anti-Muslim rhetoric + have appeared alongside other hate groups at extremist rallies.
The group organizes online and in person, recently receiving a huge boost to their private “vetting pages” hosted on Facebook. splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018…
The group has promoted violence since it’s onset. In Jan 2017, McInnes was filmed punching a counter-protester. After a speech the next month turned violent, he said, “I cannot recommend violence enough. It’s a really effective way to solve problems” aljazeera.com/news/2018/07/e…
As @Hatewatch writer @DaveNeiwert wrote in @thebafflermag: “Listening to them bait the counter-protesters with ugly speech, and talk among themselves about fighting tactics, it was clear the 'free speech' they wanted to defend was bigoted and threatening.” thebaffler.com/latest/freedom…
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