By Kayla Betulius
OREGON CITY, OR – Earlier this month, a jury in Clackamas County delivered a controversial verdict, finding Alissa Azar, an independent Syrian-American journalist, guilty of riot and disorderly conduct, according to a statement released by the Civil Liberties Defense Center (CLDC).
The charges stemmed from the journalist’s reporting at a Proud Boy recruitment event on June 18, 2021, where Azar documented the group’s violent activities, said CLDC, adding the jury deadlocked on a charge of unlawful use of mace, leading to heightened debate over the implications of the trial.
Azar, known for her coverage of far-right groups in the Pacific Northwest, was specifically targeted and assaulted by members of the Proud Boys during the event, charged CLDC, noting Proud Boys, armed with metal batons and bear mace, threatened Azar.
In the chaos of the protest, explained CLDC, Azar used pepper spray in self-defense and to protect her equipment, which was being destroyed. And, noted the civil rights firm, despite being the victim of an assault that left her unconscious after a brutal attack by a known Proud Boy, Azar was the only antifascist charged by law enforcement.
The CLDC press release highlighted that the arresting officers admitted they arrived after the violence had erupted and did not witness the assault on Azar. Yet, Azar, who is recognized for her critical reporting on both extremist groups and law enforcement abuses, was selectively prosecuted.
The CLDC noted that, during the trial, expert witness Shane Burley testified about the dangers journalists face when covering events involving groups like the Proud Boys, adding many journalists now wear war correspondent ballistic gear and hire private security to cover these events safely.
He emphasized the Proud Boys’ primary objective is to incite political violence, making it increasingly dangerous for journalists to report on their activities.
In closing arguments, the defense raised the issue of police bias, questioning why Azar, who was neither a leader nor an organizer of the event, was singled out for prosecution, reported CLDC.
The prosecutor, Joshua Cutino, suggested that the appropriate response to such violent events was for people to “just drive by,” a statement the defense likened to the passive complicity that allowed fascism to grow in Nazi Germany.
The verdict, maintains CLDC, has been met with widespread criticism from advocates of press freedom, who argue that prosecuting a journalist for covering a politically charged event sets a dangerous precedent.
The CLDC warned that the conviction could have a chilling effect on independent journalism, particularly for those who report on extremist activities and government misconduct.
