‘KILL OUR ENEMIES IN THEIR SLEEP!’ Reopen Rallies Give PNW Fash Opportunity to Make Threats

No wonder fascists hate woke culture.

Right wing rallies in the Pacific Northwest were held in opposition to the shutdown orders being maintained in Oregon and Washington State, and associates of  neo-fascist groups Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys attended and made threats either from the stage or at reporters on the street.

On Friday, a “Re-open the Economy” protest organized by the Proud Boys took place in Seattle, Washington that was an approximately ten block march of about 40 protesters from Pioneer Square to Westlake Center in downtown Seattle, where by the time it reached the park there, a mere 15 to 20 protesters remained. Addressing the group, Proud Boy associate Naphthali Moore, 31 of Lynwood, WA, declared a violent and imminent approach to their political concerns for “on Christmas Eve, to kill our enemies in their sleep! That is our people! That is who we are!”

Proud Boy Naphthali Moore gives a speech advocating that “on Christmas Eve they kill all their enemies in their sleep”. This is a fascist rally… They are not even trying to hide it. pic.twitter.com/KyKf7ipvTH

— Salish Sea Black Flag🏴 (@WABlackFlag) May 1, 2020

Moore, who fancies himself a fantasy artist, is known for bombastic rants in the past, but seldom has he spoken as he did at this rally. Associates of the Proud Boys have been arrested and convicted on charges stemming from political violence in the past, often fighting antifa, with its founder Gavin McInnes openly advocating for such actions, saying at one time, “Violence is a really effective way to solve problems.” McInnes, a Canadian immigrant who resides in the United States on a green card, has referred to the Proud Boys as a street gang.

Footage of Seattle Proud Boy Napthali Moore on 7/28/2019 at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle. Naphthali recently gave a speech in Seattle on May day advocating for the murder of their “enemies in their sleep.” The Seattle Proud Boys have escalated their violent rhetoric this year. pic.twitter.com/HUdlunipVj

— Salish Sea Black Flag🏴 (@WABlackFlag) May 3, 2020

On Saturday, another right wing rally was held in Salem, Oregon at the State Capitol where a few hundred attended. Among the crowd were associates of Patriot Prayer, the organization founded by Joey Gibson that saw a number of its members convicted of assault and rioting stemming from a brawl with antifa they initiated at a cidery antifascists frequented in Portland during last year’s May Day. Chris Ponte, a Patriot Prayer member who in January reached a plea deal for his role in that brawl that included three years probation, targeted a videographer he identified as antifa and making a thinly veiled threat towards them. “I got sixteen months to come off probation,” he told the videographer. When that person asked what that meant, he simply said “You know what it means.” The back and forth continued as Ponte attempted to shove the videographer.

Chris Ponte, currently on probation for his role in the Cider Riot attack in May 2019, sought out and threatened a videographer today at a Salem, Oregon “Reopen” rally. pic.twitter.com/l3a2iOAClS

— 🏴 (@leftkist) May 2, 2020

Violent Patriot Prayer fascist Chris Ponte (https://t.co/l9V4mmuTOT) is banned from attending political protests in Multnomah County, so he hits up every Salem & Eugene far-right event he can. Ponte has neo-Nazi “anticom” tattoos https://t.co/ufDCpMJMvQ https://t.co/WUBIwq6vUL pic.twitter.com/GX1MHjGHS2

— Always Antifascist (@RoseCityAntifa) May 2, 2020

The video appeared on his Facebook page until late Sunday when it was removed, although it appears in various locations on Twitter. In the comments that were removed even before the video was, Matthew “Deme” Cooper, another Patriot Prayer member who made a similar plea as Ponte on the same day for his assault and rioting charges from last year and received the same sentence of three years probation, cheered Ponte on and clarified what Ponte said and that he would also participate in any physical action against the videographer, saying, “It means you’re going to get a well deserved beating. Maybe I could lend a fist or foot when i (sic) get off too!” Cooper is also a convicted pedophile who was charged with forcible sodomy on a victim under the age of 13.

In case you want clarification about what “sixteen months” means, one of Ponte’s friends makes it clear. pic.twitter.com/Ko8w4WiiOW

— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@IwriteOK) May 2, 2020

“He deserves more than that…” pic.twitter.com/gJAJO5Pcu1

— 🏴 (@leftkist) May 2, 2020

If charges are brought against Ponte, he may be found in violation of his probation which could mean incarceration. Cooper can also be in violation as well for his Facebook comment. It remains to be seen if the threat Moore made during his speech in Seattle will be investigated.