A Washington man who led right-wing political protests in Portland which often devolved into brawls is suing the city for political discrimination, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
Joey Gibson, who founded the right-wing group Patriot Prayer, claims in a lawsuit that his First Amendment rights were violated when he and fellow Patriot Prayer member Russell Schultz were criminally charged in regards to a 2019 fight in a cider bar.
Gibson and Schultz have acknowledged they went to the bar frequented by leftist protesters to video them and provoke reactions from them. One of the people with Gibson, Ian Kramer, used a baton to knock out a bar patron, later pleading guilty to riot and assault charges.
According to Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Souede, it was clear that the Patriot Prayer members were the ones provoking the violence but threw out the riot charges against Gibson and Schultz, saying the prosecution didn't have sufficient evidence to bring the charges.
The lawsuit accuses a wide array of current and former Multnomah County and Portland officials of an “abusive misuse of governmental authority to punish political opponents” while ignoring the actions of "Antifa." Gibson accuses Wheeler and the Portland media of defaming Gibson by describing him as a “violent, far-right extremist.”
Gibson is seeking $100 million in damages from Portland and Multnomah County.
