Thread by @MariahCBlake

Let’s be clear. @MrAndyNgo & his ilk are engaged in a twisted propaganda campaign designed to make people believe Nazis, facists & violent white nationalists are not the real problem, that radical resistance to them is. This is an good example of their methods. 1/

https://twitter.com/mrandyngo/status/1175850130576003072

Ngo’s tweet, with its reference to “weapons,” makes Jepson sound like a violent criminal, but the booking sheet Ngo attached lists two alleged infractions: resisting arrest and criminal mischief III (meaning tampering with another person’s property). Neither involves violence. 2/

The “weapons” Ngo refers to include spray paint, Guerrilla Glue, safety glasses, rubber gloves, a hammer, and what appears to be an X-Acto knife. Sure, some of them *could* be used to violent ends, but more likely these are the tools of a vandal. 3/

I’m happy to hear and debate other points of view, but if you try to attack or troll me, I’ll block you. Life is too short to engage with BS.

Update: It’s official. According to the Portland Police Department, Jepson was arrested for vandalism. Specifically, he was caught spraying graffiti on the Hawthorn Bridge. He also tried to resist arrest and was pepper sprayed by police. Details here: portlandoregon.gov/police/news/re… 4:

Vandelism and resisting arrest are legitimate crimes and I don’t condone them. But @MrAndyNgo’s insinuation that Jepson is a dangerously violent criminal are simply not grounded in fact, unless there are facts I’m not privy to—which is possible. 5/

Also, @MrAndyNgo claims Jepson expresses “violent far-left views on social media.” Here’s a Facebook page that appears to belong to Jepson. It don’t see anything of the sort. m.facebook.com/profile.php?id…

@MrAndyNgo please tell us where you saw those posts. 6/

So let’s review. @MrAndyNgo claims that an “ANTIFA suspect” with a history of expressing violent far-left views was arrested with a “cache of weapons,” implying that he was dangerous. He fails to mention that the man was arrested for graffiti not plotting a violent attack. 7/

There is no apparent basis for the claims that the suspect espouses violent far-left views. Some of the weapons turn out to be things like spray paint and gorilla glue. 8/

As commenters have stressed, the suspect also had mace; some gnarly brass knuckles on his keychain; & two knifes—a polymer knife and what looks to me like an X-Acto( others maintain it’s a switchblade). It’s not unusual for people to carry the first two items for self defense. 9/

In any event, there’s no indication from police reports that he intended to use these things to harm people. While resisting arrest is a serious matter, the charges against him are both misdemeanors.

This is all I have to say on the subject for now & I hope forever /END