After much anticipation, string of Patriot Prayer protests prove uneventful

The controversial group Patriot Prayer is usually met with scores of left-wing protesters when they hit the streets of Portland, but when they took three trips to area college campuses last week to protest a gun measure there was little drama. Aside from a heavy media presence, it seemed nothing more than the usual rallies one might find on campuses around the United States leading up to an election. 

Since the election of President Donald Trump, Patriot Prayer and its opposition have dominated regional news every few months. Less than two weeks prior to last week’s protests, the Vancouver-based activist group, which rallies behind a number of conservative issues and is often joined by the Proud Boys, a men’s only group, hosted a “Law and Order” rally in Portland that turned violent and required riot police intervention. Patriot Prayer being implicated in often-bloody clashes with left-wing protesters — Antifa, most of the time — is common as they hold many of their rallies in liberal strongholds such as Portland and Seattle. 

Prior to last week’s events, the heads of both colleges sent out messages alerting students of the planned events. Clark College President Bob Knight’s letter canceled classes for the Oct. 22 protest, whereas WSU Vancouver Chancellor Mel Netzhammer’s message asked professors to not reprimand students who did not attend classes when Patriot Prayer came to their campus.

But on the campuses of Clark College and Washington State University Vancouver, exchanges were more akin to an election debate. Patriot Prayer founder Joey Gibson (a former Senate candidate) and others addressed those on campus, talking about their group as well as Initiative 1639, a ballot measure that would put greater restrictions on firearms purchases and storage.

Patriot Prayer returned to Clark College on Wednesday and according to a report from The Columbian, that protest went much of the same as the other two, albeit with more in attendance given classes were in session. Multiple news outlets were present for the Monday demonstration which few attended other than Patriot Prayer supporters.

WSU Vancouver’s event on Oct. 23 did have counter protests of a sort, as the concrete near the Firstenburg Family Fountain was chalked with messages of solidarity and love, and nearby several signs espousing similar messages were leaned up against a ledge. 

At WSU Vancouver, Gibson and Tusitala “Tiny” Toese, a  Patriot Prayer associate and member of the Proud Boys addressed supporters and students about the initiative, their group and the perceptions of what the group is and stands for. 

Police presence was heavy for the protest, with several groups of Clark County Sheriff’s deputies posted up on the perimeter of the courtyard and dozens of sheriff’s vehicles parked on an overlooking hill, but police were never called into action. 

“There are people in this school who came here today believing that they hate me because of things that the professors have said,” Gibson said while discussing the characterization of his group as being white supremacist, pointing out that he and many others in Patriot Prayer are persons of color. 

Gibson’s claims about indoctrination by professors drew its own protest from a few of the students gathered. 

“Our professors don’t do that,” Manuel Avalos, a WSU Vancouver student, interjected during Gibson’s speech. He said one of his professors had stressed looking critically at the initiative at the center of the protest, asking him to go over the voters’ pamphlet and come up with his own decision.

“1639 is one more step to take away your God-given right in the Second Amendment,” Gibson remarked.

 He spoke of the issues he had with the bill, which covers everything from background checks, required training, safe storage, and liability of stolen firearms used in crimes. His message was against any sort of law restricting access to firearms.

Both Gibson and Toese tried to distance themselves from a partisan understanding of the initiative, explaining that their goal for the event was to have their concerns with the legislation aired publicly.

“What we are really trying to say here is think for yourself. Decide for yourself. It doesn’t really matter what side you are on,” Toese said. 

Following the protest, Gibson spoke positively of the event, noting a lack of violence and students’ willingness to engage in dialogue given the preconceptions Netzhammer’s letter and the talk from professors brought forth.

As to why the protest went off without violence, Gibson said it came down to Clark County’s police response. He said that in earlier demonstrations Antifa would show up to events in the county and were promptly arrested when breaking the law.

“In Portland, you will have tons of police officers but they just stand there,” he said. 

WSU Vancouver student Sean Bates said after talking with Patriot Prayer members before the speeches he looked up what the initiative’s language was then came back to talk with Gibson about what it entailed. He spoke with Gibson for some time, going through the bill’s language, then shook hands with the activist at the end of the event.

Bates said that he had heard somewhat about Patriot Prayer and their clashes with differing ideological groups, but the event on campus that day wasn’t particularly out of line.

“Obviously they’re not demonstrating with firearms or anything crazy like that,” Bates said. State law prohibits firearms on university campuses. In the past, Patriot Prayer members have openly carried firearms during rallies in Clark County.

“It seems like I was able to have a conversation about the issues,” Bates added, saying what happened on campus was “pretty reasonable.”

Bates plans to vote “yes” on the bill, saying that the explicit text appeared to address the notion of keeping firearms out of the hands of those that shouldn’t have them.