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

Contact Your Elected Officials

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.

Liberal Democrat Content Creators are Despicable Defamationers

What should Christian conservatives do when confronted with false information to the point of bearing false witness against someone like President Trump?

Ben Shapiro Warning Me Not to Listen to InfoWars Makes Me Want to Listen 10x Harder

This rant from Ben Shapiro reveals more about him and his low opinion of his audience to whom he peddles his slop than it does about its target, Alex Jones.

Epsteinโ€™s Aftermath: Planes, Blames, and Autocrats

There are so many real, honest great journalists reporting the news on the internet these days that some really good content gets overlooked.

Why the Trump Administration is Sitting on the Epstein Files

President Trump, AG Bondi, and FBI Dir. Patel have the advantage over us in that they see the big overall picture when it comes to the Epstein List.

Trumpโ€™s โ€œMajor Statementโ€ On Russia Is A Clumsy Attempt To Thread The Needle

The โ€œmajor statementโ€ on Russia Trump hyped up turned out to be an attempt to thread the needle between escalating US involvement in Ukrainian and walking away from it.

7.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Off Alaska Coast; Tsunami Warning Issued

A 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of southern Alaska prompting federal officials to issue a tsunami warning.

University of Southern California Faces $300 Million in Federal Funding Cuts, Staff Layoffs

USC faces potential revenue loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds and staff layoffs, amid "volatile external environment,โ€ Interim President says.

Florida AG Threatens Lawsuit Against US Masters Swimming Over Male Participation in Female Events

FL AG James Uthmeier, in a letter to CEO of U.S. Masters Swimming, called for immediate end to male athletes participating in female competitions by organization.

The Marketโ€™s Focus Returns to Tariffs

Surging tariff revenue is expected to help the Treasury Department better manage the federal government budget deficit.

EUโ€™s Trade Chief to Meet With US Officials as EU Braces for Tariff Showdown

The EUโ€™s trade leader is headed to Washington for face-to-face negotiations with the Trump admin, a spokesman for the economic bloc said.

Nvidiaโ€™s AI Chip Sales to China Tied to Rare Earths Trade Talks, Says Commerce Secretary

USsโ€™ decision to allow Nvidia to resume selling China AI chips is tied to recent trade negotiations over rare-earth exports, according to Sec Lutnick.

Trump Says USโ€“Vietnam Trade Deal Nearly Complete

President Trump said the trade deal between the United States and Vietnam was nearly complete, the same day he announced a new deal with Indonesia.

Washington Announces Investigation Into Brazilian Trade Practices, Digital Payment Services

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced the opening of an investigation into Brazilโ€™s โ€œunfairโ€ trading practices on July 15, 2025.
spot_img

Related Articles