Portland Prosecutor Will Drop Most Criminal Charges Against ANTIFA Rioters

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt confirmed that his office plans to drop criminal charges pending against a majority of the Portland rioters on Tuesday, establishing de facto immunity for ANTIFA militants to commit a wide range of riot crimes in the city.

“What we’re doing is recognizing that the right to speak and have your voice heard is extremely important,” said Schmidt at a Tuesday press conference, hailing the leftist street criminals who have terrorized the community and attacked a federal courthouse for weeks on end. “If you’re out there committing violence, you’re damaging property, those cases are going to be prosecuted. If you’re a person who is out there demonstrating and you get caught up in the melee, those are the kinds of cases that we’re talking about.”

The release of charges against anyone not accused of serious property or violent crimes all but ensures that the wide majority of ANTIFA rioters will not be prosecuted. A handful of individuals will be given slaps on the wrist.

Schmidt went on to deliver a stern warning that he would not tolerate any further crimes, but the message is clear. The streets of Portland belong to ANTIFA gangs now, and anyone who dares to interfere will be left to their devices.

Neoliberal Mayor Ted Wheeler finally admitted last week that the mob of rioters are not “peaceful protestors,” a message the Multnomah County Prosecutor appears to deny. Wheeler had previously heartily supported the street criminals as they attacked federal law enforcement in a demonstrably violent fashion for weeks on end.