Joey Gibson’s criminal trial for his involvement in a May 1 violent street brawl is scheduled to begin Friday, October 11.
The date was set at an arraignment held for Gibson, the leader of far-right Vancouver, Washington group Patriot Prayer, on Tuesday afternoon. Gibson faces one felony charge of inciting a riot for his involvement in a May Day confrontation at Portland bar Cider Riot, in which members of Patriot Prayer fought local anti-fascist activists. Five other Patriot Prayer members also face criminal charges.
Gibson pled “not guilty” at the arraignment.
He will be represented by lawyer D. Angus Lee, a former chief prosecutor of Grant County, Washington, who was formally reprimanded by the Washington State Bar for attempting to coerce a state prosecutor in 2015. Gibson was granted permission from Multnomah County Circuit Court to be represented by an out-of-state lawyer.
Before the arraignment began Tuesday, a small group of Gibson supporters marched outside the Multnomah County Justice Center.
Joey Gibson’s arraignment is this afternoon; he faces one felony charge for his involvement with the May Day brawl at cider riot. A group of maybe 40 Gibson supporters, and a handful of anti-fascists counter-protestors, are outside the courthouse now. pic.twitter.com/1deYCYhpmE
— Blair Stenvick (@BlairStenvick) August 27, 2019
Gibson and other Patriot Prayer members are also being sued by Abe Goldman-Armstrong, the owner of Cider Riot, in civil court for inflicting violence on his property and at his patrons.
Looks like about twenty Gibson supporters…and that’s including Joey and Haley! Hahaha!