A former cage-fighter Tara LaRosa took down an anti-Trump protester at a Proud Boys rally in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday. She then faced a backlash from Antifa sympathizers on social media.
Tara LaRosa, 31, was partaking in a Proud Boys associated pro-Trump patriotic flag-waving parade in Portland on Sunday afternoon as part of preparations for Veteran’s Day. But not everyone along the route shared the demonstrators’ zeal for the president nor their appreciation and support of veterans.
A self-proclaimed female professor stepped up to intervene in the demonstration by shouting disrespectful expletives referring to the president.
Then, on Northeast 12th Avenue at the Interstate 84 overpass in Northeast Portland, a pro-Trump person from the parade poked a mini-flag toward the protesting anti-Trump female’s face whereupon she grabs the flag but then in the flurry that ensued appears to be struck a blow to her face that knocks her sunglasses off.
NEW video from yesterday’s altercation at the Veteran’s Day flag wave in Portland, OR over I-84. She failed to start a fight w/me, so she chose someone else. In this video she clearly attacks another woman & throws the first punch. I broke up the fight & kept her from being hurt. pic.twitter.com/G0dGbEkXKn
— Tara LaRosa (@TaraLaRosa) November 11, 2019
At that moment, LaRosa intervened in the fight and pinned the professor down by sitting on top of her as can be seen on footage by several people who recorded the incident.
“You’re antagonizing the city I live in,” the professor contends. The woman repeatedly said she could not breathe. But LaRosa says she should stay quiet.
One of the bystanders shouts, “How do you like the Proud Boys now?”
Three minutes later, the police arrived, and the altercation ended. Reportedly, no arrests have been made as no serious injuries were reported, although LaRosa claimed the woman bit her breast, and her knees were scratched.
.@TaraLaRosa says she was injured when the woman bit through her hoodie, shirt and bra. She has scrapes on her neck and knees as well. pic.twitter.com/k1nJCpDCdi
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 11, 2019
“There are conflicting versions of the events, so we are gathering all of the information we can and referring it to the district attorney,” Allen said in an emailed statement according to The Oregonian.
By the next day, Twitter was brimming with hostile and violent attacks against LaRosa, mostly from people who sympathize with Antifa and other leftist organizations.
LaRosa, however, justified her actions by saying: “So, let me get this straight … I break up a fight, saving one of their people from taking serious damage … And Antifa tries to deplatform me from yet another site? Awesome,” she said.
Andy Ngo also weighed in saying: “At flag-waving rally in Portland, @TaraLaRosa says she had to take anti-Trump protester to the ground after the woman allegedly attacked another woman. The group detained the self-described professor until police came. LaRosa says the woman bit her chest, causing an open wound.”
At flag-waving rally in Portland, @TaraLaRosa says she had to take anti-Trump protester to the ground after the woman allegedly attacked another woman. The group detained the self-described professor until police came. LaRosa says the woman bit her chest, causing an open wound. pic.twitter.com/LrPJLsMIO6
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 11, 2019