Last night marked 100 days since the near-nightly riots in Portland, Oregon bean over the summer. And Sunday’s Good Morning America marked the harshest language used to describe the violence from any broadcast network; with ABC correspondent Matt Gutman deviating from the prescribed liberal narrative and blaming the leftist activists for a “significant escalation” after they used “gasoline bombs” on law enforcement.
“What we witnessed over the past several hours appears to be a significant escalation on the part of protesters, tossing those gasoline bombs at police officers,” Gutman said with a tone of stock (but still not calling the rioters). “And what has stood out over the past hundred days or so, is there's still no cohesive single message on the part of protesters. And, after 100 days, there was no end game in sight.”
As the video portion of his report began, Gutman’s voice over told viewers that “parts of Portland looked like a war zone.” He then showed a video of “protesters” setting fires and running up to police officers and shooting fireworks at “point-blank range” into their faces.
Reaching the part of the report that ABC co-anchor Dan Harris described as “a protester caught in the middle of all of it,” Gutman described how a one genius leftist intentionally ran through the flames of a Molotov cocktail splash:
GUTMAN: And the cracks of Molotov cocktails exploding. One demonstrator running through it, catching fire, rolling to the curb, bystanders unable, at first, to put him out.
UNIDENTIFIED RIOTER: Stop, drop, and roll!
Though, Gutman failed to mention that rioters had been using Molotov cocktails for months.
But in a section recorded on the ground overnight, Gutman was in the thick of it as Portland police officers launched tear gas into the crowd. At one point there was a loud bang and Gutman claimed he was hit in the leg by a teargas canister. But in reality (and caught on video), a mortar-style firework went off just a few feet behind him.
Gutman would eventually smear Portland law enforcement. Directing his cameraman, he pointed out “yellow, mustard-like smoke,” then the voice-over noted “medics” with the rioters were “attending to those sickened by the gas.”
We’ve seen the media use similar, but not so blatant language like this before. It’s intended to paint the police as members of a despotic regime oversees using chemical weapons against the innocent.
“Protests on Friday night, leading to 27 arrests, including one person accused of illegally possessing this handgun. Demonstrators angry over incidents of police brutality, demanding reform and defunding,” he added.
And in wrapping up his segment, Gutman feared for possible violence on Labor Day as Black Lives Matter and a pro-Trump caravan were set to gather in Portland for the holiday:
The kind of violence, though, that some law enforcement officials had feared the most, which were armed confrontations between right and left-wing activists, that fortunately has not materialized. But, BLM activists are planning a major Labor Day march tomorrow and there's also a pro-Trump caravan through this city also tomorrow.
While this may have just been a momentary slip in the liberal media’s narrative, this accidental moment of clarity was also unlikely to hold.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s Good Morning America
September 6, 2020
8:02:25 a.m. EasternDAN HARRIS: Meanwhile, in Portland, Oregon, and in other parts of this country, it is inflamed; emotions over race. Protesters throwing Molotov cocktails, igniting fires on the streets and a protester caught in the middle of all of it.
WHIT JOHNSON: And in Rochester, New York, a fourth night of unrest there over the death of Daniel Prude in police custody, with demonstrators in the streets. As a grand jury is set to decide whether officers will face charges.
EVA PILGRIM: We’ll get to that in a moment, but we start with Matt Gutman in Portland for us this morning. Good morning to you, Matt.
MATT GUTMAN: Hey, good morning Eva. What we witnessed over the past several hours appears to be a significant escalation on the part of protesters, tossing those gasoline bombs at police officers. And what has stood out over the past hundred days or so, is there's still no cohesive single message on the part of protesters. And, after 100 days, there was no end game in sight.
[Cuts to video]
Overnight, parts of Portland looked like a war zone. Marking a hundred nights of continuous protests, the violence erupting with fireworks shot at police, at point-blank range.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Oh, my god!
GUTMAN: And the cracks of Molotov cocktails exploding. One demonstrator running through it, catching fire, rolling to the curb, bystanders unable, at first, to put him out.
UNIDENTIFIED RIOTER: Stop, drop, and roll!
GUTMAN: The Portland police almost immediately declaring a riot, carpeting streets with smoke and teargas canisters.
[Gutman on the ground] They’re popping off tear gas like -- whoa, you can see the arcs of tear gas in the air. That's going to be really bad in about five seconds. We're going to get out of here. Let's go, let's go – Ah! I just got hit in the leg by teargas.
[Transition]
See that cloud of yellow, mustard-like smoke.
[Transition]
We're going to circle back; try to get out of that cloud. The entire corner here lit up.
[Back to Gutman voice over] Police making multiple arrests. Slamming protesters down. Medics attending to those sickened by the gas. But protesters regrouped. Marching by the hundreds. Protests on Friday night, leading to 27 arrests, including one person accused of illegally possessing this handgun. Demonstrators angry over incidents of police brutality, demanding reform and defunding.
Earlier, a memorial for Aaron J. Danielson a right of-wing protester, allegedly gunned down by a self-described anti-fascist, Michael Reinoehl. Hundreds of people gathering, many of them heavily armed. On Thursday, U.S. Marshals killed Reinoehl while issuing a second degree-murder arrest warrant. Authorities say he was armed and attempting to escape.
[Cuts back to live]
The kind of violence, though, that some law enforcement officials had feared the most, which were armed confrontations between right and left-wing activists, that fortunately has not materialized. But, BLM activists are planning a major Labor Day march tomorrow and there's also a pro-Trump caravan through this city also tomorrow. Dan.
HARRIS: Could be another tense situation right there. Matt, thank you for your reporting. Stay safe, please!
