An Oregon jury on Wednesday found a woman with suspected ties to Antifa guilty of rioting, Oregon Live reported.
A Clackamas County jury found independent journalist Alisa Azar guilty of rioting and second-degree disturbance of the peace stemming from an incident at Oregon City's Clackamas Park in 2021. But the jury could not decide on an additional charge of unlawful use of tear gas. According to Oregon Live. Azar gained a huge online following for his in-depth live-streamed coverage of Portland's 2020 social justice protests. The five-day trial scrutinized the changing role of press freedom amid the rise of digital media.
Day 2: The Alisa Azar Trial – Violent Portland Antifa leader charged with felony rioting
Prosecutors Assert Strong Case – Shocking Video Evidence Reveals Alisa Azar Attended the Riot with Rose City Antifa and That Antifa Allegedly Brought a Homemade Explosive Device to Her Home… pic.twitter.com/IZaOSovpxy
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 10, 2024
The incident occurred on June 18, 2021, when groups identified as Antifa and the Proud Boys clashed during a voter registration and flag-waving event hosted by a Republican candidate for state legislature. Reported. picture Footage from the scene, including police drone footage, shows protesters from both sides getting physically involved in the altercation.
Clackamas County Deputy District Attorney Josh Catino argued that the Antifa group was preparing for a confrontation. The Post Millennial reported that the video shows Azar lunging at a woman wearing a sundress and dousing her with chemicals. In footage played in court, members of Azar's group can be heard yelling, “Pepper her!”
Prosecutors pointed to explosives found at the scene and social media posts by Azar calling for counter-demonstrations, suggesting a confrontation was planned, Oregon Live reported. The defense argued that Azar was simply doing his job as a journalist, recording events as they unfolded.
I was recently in Oregon City, Oregon.
A riot was declared after Antifa confronted members of the Proud Boys and the incident turned violent.
Pepper spray and fireworks were reportedly fired.
Police intervened between the two opposing parties.#mag— 🦋𝕂𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕖 𝕂𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕪🦋I still see stupid people (@WinterAsh12) June 19, 2021
#OregonCity #Oregon
Close-up footage of clashes between Antifa and Proud Boys in Oregon City, where police have reportedly declared a riot. pic.twitter.com/F9dlkYR3jp— Shane B. Murphy (@shanermurph) June 18, 2021
Azar has had legal troubles for years. Authorities charged him with second-degree disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace for his role in an Antifa riot in downtown Portland in March 2021. Azar was also charged in December 2022 with felony counts of robbery, assault, tampering with physical evidence and theft. (RELATED: Ray Epps receives one year of probation for his actions during the Jan. 6 riot)
These charges relate to an alleged attack on a citizen journalist in downtown Portland in August 2022, The Post Millennial reported. By May 2024, Azar faced new charges following a pro-Hamas riot on the campus of Portland State University.
