Judge Dismisses Charges Against Portland Activist For 2019 Protest Clashes
A Portland anti-fascist activist has been released of charges stemming from a 2019 clash with attendees of a right-wing demonstration in downtown Portland. On Friday, a Multnomah County judge sentenced Alexander Dial, 39, to three years' probation and 80 hours of community service for two charges, while dismissing all remaining charges leveled against him.
Dial was indicted in 2019 for actions that took place during an August 17, 2019 Proud Boys demonstration in downtown Portland, which attracted a crowd of counter-protesters to decry the right-wing extremist group. Dial was one of the counter-protesters in attendance that day.
One video from the demonstration shows a small school bus painted black, which contained members of the American Guard, a far-right group with white nationalist affiliations, and other right-wing protesters. The bus was shuttling this group away from the demonstration while a crowd of counter-protesters—including Dial—yelled at the bus from outside. The bus doors open to face the crowd, and one of the bus riders leans out of the doors, swinging at counter-protesters with a hammer. The video shows Dial wrest the hammer out of this person's hand, before throwing the hammer back through the bus door. The video ends after the bus door closes and drives off. This incident left Dial facing charges of assault, riot, unlawful use of a weapon, and criminal mischief. The prosecution was unable to identify anyone as a victim in this case.
Dial was also charged with shoving and tasing a right-wing protester during a separate interaction that day, a clash that left him with charges of assault, riot, attempted felony, and unlawful use of a taser.
Read more: https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2021/11/19/37003253/judge-dismisses-charges-against-portland-activist-for-2019-protest-clashes