How is explaining who Andy Ngo is showing me the other side of the story to him being assaulted, on video, and the Portland police making no arrests? Your own words call it a "hostile demonstration"...so why do the Portland police and mayor allow hostile demonstrations?
And for the second, when Antifa is in the streets blocking traffic, it's not on the driver to be able to know they are there and get around them. They're in the fucking streets. The police need to ensure order, which they aren't.
Your "counterpoint" is not countering the point that the police and mayor let this happen. You're just saying people who hurt and affected by them have blame.
They are allowed because to do otherwise would be in violation of people's First Amendment Rights. To hold a protest or demonstration, one or a group must apply for a permit. Community members are given the opportunity to safely practice their First Amendment Rights of speech and assembly. One should expect there might be some level of discord - an unfriendly or antagonistic atmosphere, particularly at a political rally.
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/730168.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation issues an advisory, such as this one. Traffic Advisory:
Demonstrations downtown may lead to limited road closures Saturday, Aug. 17
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/739695The police are damned if they do and damned if they don't. It takes two opposing sides to create civil disruption and violence. How are the police supposed to know who started what?
You're obvious position is that the folks representing Antifa are the instigators. You'd make a lousy cop in this situation because of your prejudice. The Patriot Prayer is a far-right group based in the Portland, Oregon area who orchestrated these rallies and encouraged their supporters to bring weapons. “Everyone should be carrying around guns at all times, especially in our situation,” Gibson explained in a video, posted to Facebook June 30 to promote the event.
https://www.opb.org/news/article/joey-gibson-oregon-rally-gun-patriot-prayer-antifa/And finally, the media plays a big roll as instigators both before these rallies and during them. They are giving the hungry public what it seeks...distraction from their mundane lives and entertainment at the expense of sometimes innocent people.
