The crowdfunding site GoFundMe is allowing a fundraiser to keep a Portland Antifa member, who participated in the violent 2021 May Day riot, out of jail ..On May 1, 2021, Phoebe Anne Loomis and about 100 Antifa members helped destroy a downtown Portland, Oregon Starbucks. Loomis pleaded no contest to first-degree criminal mischief..Antifa targeted Portland city hall and surrounding businesses in their attack with riot gear, and shields. They also used black umbrellas to block the view of crimes taking place..“More individuals continued to break windows of businesses,” said Portland police. “Several members of the crowd used umbrellas in an attempt to block police from viewing criminal acts.”.At her arrest, Loomis was wearing the “black bloc” Antifa uniform, had bear mace and a “steel tool” for smashing windows, along with a gas mask, fibreglass-enforced gloves, and black helmet. On her chest, Loomis sports an Antifa tattoo.. Phoebe Anne Loomis GoFundMe .On the same day, a separate Antifa group attacked an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building. During the ICE attack, one Antifa member attacked the police with a knife. Several Antifa members were arrested, but released without bail..Loomis had multiple felony charges against her, including rioting and criminal mischief..District Attorney Mike Schmidt gave Loomis a plea deal that dismissed all the charges, except criminal mischief for smashing a Starbucks window..Loomis’ criminal mischief charge will be dropped if she pays $3,610.75 to Starbucks to fix what she vandalized..However, Loomis has not paid the money to Starbucks. On September 9, 2022 GoFundMe fundraiser was started by 'Declan Hood.' The fundraiser is called “Phoenix stay free," in reference to Loomis' Antifa nickname..The fundraiser infers Loomis did nothing to Starbucks, even though she pleaded guilty. “Our comrade, Phoenix is being unjustly persecuted for exercising their right to protest," the fundraiser description reads.."The State is demanding they hand over thousands of dollars in restitution to the Starbucks Corporation for the crime of being vaguely in the area when one of the corporation’s stores was damaged. They face jail time if they are unable to pay. We can’t let that happen.".The description goes on to say that Phoenix has been a "dedicated and engaged activist" in Portland for years. "We protect us. That means doing everything we can to keep an Autistic (sic), non-binary member of our community out of the prison-industrial complex’s death machine.".GoFundMe prohibits raising money for those accused of violent crimes. The website removed the Freedom Convoy fundraiser, saying it violated their policy against violent crimes..The crowdfunding website also removed Kyle Rittenhouse’s fundraiser for his legal defence in the Kenosha unrest shooting during a Black Lives Matter protest, in which he was acquitted..Starbucks is constantly targeted by Antifa and it closed two downtown Portland cafes because of safety concerns for its staff and customers..Both “Declan Hood” and GoFundMe did not respond to the Western Standard's request for comment.
