Thousands expected to descend on Portland for Proud Boys rally

Thousands of supporters of the far-right Proud Boys group are expected to descend on Portland, Oregon on Saturday, as police prepare for clashes in a city that has become the epicentre of continuing racial justice protests that have at times devolved into deadly violence. The state’s governor, Kate Brown, declared a weekend state of emergency for the city, saying Friday that “white supremacist groups” were travelling from out of state to attend an event the Proud Boys say was organised to “end domestic terrorism”. Under the emergency declaration, a state and local law enforcement task force is authorised to use “proportional force”, including tear gas, to keep the peace. The city’s mayor had previously banned the use of tear gas by Portland police. style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;">