OFFICIALLY SANCTIONED POLITICAL VIOLENCE:

In the attack, Andy received cuts and bruises to his face and head, including a torn earlobe, and had thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment smashed or stolen. He was taken to the local hospital, where it was discovered he had a small bleed to his brain and, as a result, he was kept in overnight. His friend Michelle Malkin has set up a Gofundme page where well-wishers can make donations to pay for additional security, his medical needs and to replace his camera equipment.

The protest in Portland last night was billed by the organisers as ‘milkshake themed’ and one of the most sinister aspects of the attack is that milkshakes thrown at the event contained quick-drying cement, a chemical substance that can cause serious harm, including severe burns.

For months, critics of milkshake-throwing – a trend that began in England – have warned that it will inevitably lead to escalation, while left-wing journalists like David Aaronovitch have defended the practice. Earlier this month, the comedian and Women’s Equality Party supporter Jo Brand joked about protestors who’d thrown milkshakes at Ukip and Brexit Party candidates in the European Election. ‘Why bother with a milkshake when you could get some battery acid?’ she said on a BBC Radio 4 comedy programme. This led to no disciplinary action by the BBC, even though it immediately sacked the Radio 5 Live presenter Danny Baker for making an inappropriate joke the month before. On the contrary, the BBC came to her defence.

But the real enablers here are the politicians and journalists who’ve championed Antifa, such as the CNN presenter Chris Cuomo, as well as the Portland authorities who have consistently turned a blind eye to the criminal behavior of the group. Indeed, Andy himself was assaulted by an Antifa activist at his gym last month and the Portland Police took no action. And he was punched in the stomach while covering an Antifa May Day protest in Portland while a police officer stood by and did nothing.

Let’s hope this sickening attack finally shames the Portland authorities into taking action against the group. Beating up a journalist because he or she criticises your political ideology is what the Nazi party did in Germany in the 1930s.

And they, too, had political sanction from sympathetic officials when they did so.