PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The faces of the anti-fascists are often covered with masks and bandanas. Not so with Michael Streeter.
Streeter, who went to Saturday’s downtown Portland protests in a plaid shirt and a Panama hat, described himself as “a common suburban family person.” He went because he wanted to “stand up against fascism, sexism and racism.”
“I think it is appalling that people can come here and make Portland look bad when Portland is a bastion for liberal ideas.”
Streeter said this protest, near the anniversary of the Charlottesville riot, is pertinent because of the mass shootings in El Paso.
“I mean, 20 people were killed in the name of racism,” he said. “I find that horrific. You would think that having defeated the Nazis in World War 2 75 years ago that that would be behind us. But it’s rearing its ugly head and we have to be vigilant. We have to be out here and stand up against them.”
He said he hasn’t seen any violence at this time but was glad to see “ordinary Americans standing up against this nonsense.”
Streeter re-iterated that point.
“Ordinary Americans need to stand up against fascism,” he told KOIN 6 News.