The Media Claimed Andy Ngo Was Complicit in a Far-Right Attack on Antifa. But the Video Doesn’t Support That.

It’s been a rough summer for independent Portland journalist Andy Ngo: Antifa activists beat him up at a June 29 rally, and now many in left-of-center media have accused him of being complicit in a far-right attack that took place some weeks earlier.

But despite widespread insistence that Ngo knew members of the far-right group Patriot Prayer were about to instigate violence, the underlying evidence is incredibly thin. At worst, new video footage reveals Ngo to be inattentive and preoccupied with his phone at key moments. This information strengthens concerns about the selectivity of Ngo’s reporting, but falls far short of proving that he knew about a planned attack.

“The accusations are defamatory and they’re false,” Ngo told Reason. “I’m seeing myself being un-personed.”

On August 26, a member of Patriot Prayer known pseudonymously as “Ben” revealed to the Portland Mercury that he was actually an undercover antifa activist who had taken it upon himself to inform his fellow antifa members about the activities and whereabouts of area right-wing extremists.

Ben surreptitiously recorded 18 minutes of video footage showing several right-wing protesters in the run-up to a violent scuffle between Patriot Prayer and antifa that took place at Cider Riot, a left-wing sympathetic restaurant, on May 1. The owner of Cider Riot has sued Patriot Prayer’s leader, Joey Gibson, for trespassing on private property, and Gibson and five of his group are facing felony charges for inciting a riot. Ben’s video was submitted as evidence by Cider Riot’s legal defense team.

The video, as well as Portland Mercury reporter Alex Zielinski’s description of it, has led to widespread denunciationโ€”not just of Patriot Prayer, but also of Ngo, a former reporter for Quillette who is known for documenting confrontations between right-wing and left-wing groups in the Portland area.

Many in the media have said Ngo is biased against antifa, and in favor of far-right groups like Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys. Critics say that Ngo selectively edits his videos of the scuffles to make it seem like antifa activists are the aggressors. Some of these critics have a point, and in his conversation with Reason, Ngo conceded that he’s gotten things wrong, and has been overly focused on covering moments of physical confrontation between the two groups.

“There’s some merit in some of the criticisms of things that I’ve gotten wrong,” he said. “I want to become a better journalist and better reporter on these things.”

But Ben’s videoโ€”which shows Ngo in the company of a small group of Gibson’s associates immediately prior to the Cider Riot battleโ€”is being widely cited in the media as evidence that Patriot Prayer did indeed conspire to attack Cider Riot, and that Ngo was tacitly involved. The coverage all but brands him as a co-conspirator.

Article by Robby Soave

Read Full Article on Reason.com

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

Columns

Viewers like you

There is no constitutional authority for any spending on public broadcasting โ€“ period. Any questions: See Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

Beyond the Trump-Musk fallout?

We are witnessing an unprecedented, unhinged Democrat effort to use lawfare, big Democrat donors, street theater, congressional disruptions, potty-mouth videos, the administrative state, the legacy media, and discredited pollsters to stop the Trump agenda.

Trans-wormal

No worm ever said "I am anthropomorphizing, I am a butterfly" to a toad or flock of geese and expected acknowledgement and support.

In Greenlandโ€™s Icy Capital, Past Troubles Haunt Hopes for the Future

As geopolitical realities and ongoing economic growth raise the stakes, U.S. interest in Greenland and the dream of independence may change things in a big way.

How a Chinese Government Statistician Was Forced to Report Fake Data

Chinese local govt employee produced a non-authorized report on bees and was visited by police and threatened with being sent to a mental hospital.

News

Supreme Court Sides With DOGE in Social Security, Records Cases

The Supreme Court handed DOGE two big wins late on June 6 in its effort to reduce the size of the federal government.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia Returns to US to Face Criminal Charges

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a citizen of El Salvador, is on his way back to the US, where he will face criminal charges for allegedly smuggling illegal immigrants.

White House Adviser Gives Update on DOGEโ€™s Future Amid Muskโ€“Trump Spat

A top White House adviser said DOGEโ€™s work will likely continue amid a spat between its former chief, Elon Musk, and President Donald Trump.

Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Allow Dismantling of Education Department

Trump admin asked Supreme Court to allow it to resume dismantling U.S. Dept of Education, following a lower courtโ€™s previous order halting process.

FTC Warns of Rising Student Loan Scams, Says Fraudsters Took Millions From Borrowers

FTC is warning borrowers to steer clear of student loan debt-relief scams, after shutting down group of companies that allegedly charged millions in illegal fees and left customers worse off.

Walmartโ€™s Drone Delivery Coming to 5 More US Cities

Walmart is set to launch its drone delivery service in five more U.S. cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando, and Tampa, the company.

Court Orders Trump Administration to Restore AmeriCorps Funding to States

Federal court ordered Trump admin to restore AmeriCorps funding to states. The ruling comes as part of a lawsuit filed by 24 states and DC.

Tax Deductions You Can Take Without Itemizing

Itโ€™s not always beneficial to itemize. With IRSโ€™s current standard deduction for 2025 most Americans who canโ€™t itemize go with standard deduction.
spot_img

Related Articles