The attack appears in an hours-long video posted to YouTube under the username 'Toe Andy'
June 6: This story was updated with information from Portland Police Bureau.
A livestream video appearing to condone the assault of a houseless person in Portland’s Old Town amid the citywide protest late Saturday has racked up thousands of views on YouTube.
In the video, a man standing outside of a row of tents on the sidewalk in front of Trailhead Credit Union on the corner of Northwest Second Avenue and Everett Street gestures at a tent, shouting for passersby to respect his backyard, saying “this is where I fucking live.”
A bystander in the video shouts “get a job.”
Two people walked up behind the houseless man, and when he refuses to move, he is punched hard in the head and then shoved by one of them — a large man with a beard wearing all black, including a black hoodie covered in pagan, satanic and black metal iconography. The assailant then yelled expletives and gestured toward the houseless man with a hammer he held in his right hand.
“You’re in the middle of a fucking riot. You’re the dumbass who’s homeless,” the assailant is heard saying.
VIDEO
The livestream, titled “Portland Protests past curfew ,” was posted to a local YouTube account that appears to belong to Tristan Taylor, a student at Portland State University who, according to his Facebook page, moved to Portland recently from Gresham, where he attended Sam Barlow High School.
Under the username “Toe Andy,” Taylor posted five videos, containing hours of footage of himself wandering through the recent protests in Portland that sprung up in response to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, M.N., on Memorial Day.
As the unidentified assailant continued to walk toward Davis Street on Second Avenue after attacking the houseless man, Taylor, appearing to condone the assault, is seen asking him with a smile, “Did it feel good?”
“No,” the assailant responded. “I hate these fucking homeless people.”
It does not appear from the video that Taylor knew the assailant. The assault is about three hours and 48 minutes into the video, and Taylor is not seen with the assailant leading up to it.
The incident took place after police fired tear gas and flashbangs toward a group of people gathered near the Lan Su Chinese Garden after nightfall. Taylor is shown heading south as a vehicle full of police in riot gear round the corner of Northwest Second Avenue and Everett Street, just before the altercation took place.
Taylor told Street Roots he would comment, but soon after stopped responding and did not answer any questions about the video or the attack.
Street Roots was able to confirm most of the symbols featured on the sweatshirt are of pagan or satanic origin, although one Norse symbol on the back of the jacket, the Life Rune, has ties to both neo-pagan religion and Nazi Germany as well as defunct neo-nazi groups National Alliance and Heathen Front . It also continues to be used among non-racists.
Street Roots was unable to locate the assault victim. Two people camping near the scene of the assault suggested the person may have relocated their belongings.
As of June 6, it did not appear anyone placed a call to 911 or filed a police report following the incident, according to Portland Police Bureau.
“Investigators are aware of the fact the perpetrator made comments specific to the person’s housing status as a part of the attack,” stated PPB Homeless Liason Stephanie Herro in an email to Street Roots.
Email Street Roots Staff Reporter Jessica Pollard at jessica@streetroots.org . Street Roots is an award-winning, nonprofit, weekly newspaper focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. Our newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Learn more about Street Roots . Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today .
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