Proud Boys clash with Antifa during rival rallies in Portland, Oregon, US, August 22, 2021 ©  Reuters / David Ryder

Portland, August 23 (RHC)-- Dozens of right-wing Proud Boys and leftist Antifa members have clashed in a chaotic street showdown in Portland, armed with a variety of improvised weapons ranging from bats and shields to paintball guns, mace and fireworks.

A brief gun battle also erupted in downtown Portland on Sunday, according to multiple videos shared by witnesses.  Some of them showed a middle-aged man in a fedora hat hiding behind trash bins and firing several shots across the street.   

From another angle, it appears that shots were fired towards the shooter as well, though it remains unclear who opened fire first. Some reports suggested the man was a Proud Boys supporter who was being chased away by Antifa members, before opening fire.  No injuries were reported, but several buildings and cars were damaged by gunfire.

Police swiftly detained the shooter seen in the videos, who apparently did not resist arrest, but it was unclear whether they were looking for any other suspects.

The shooting took place amid an already chaotic day in Portland, which has seen dozens of people from opposite camps clashing with each other, using all kinds of improvised weapons.

According to the Oregonian, the day began with a group of some 300 left-wing protesters swarming the area of central Tom McCall Waterfront Park, and forcing a rival camp of around 100 right-wing activists to relocate their event to an abandoned Kmart parking lot in the northeast of the city

However, smaller Antifa groups soon followed the Proud Boys to the new site, apparently engaging in verbal exchanges and skirmishes.  At one point, a van crashed into the parking lot.  The alleged ‘left-wing agitator’ behind the wheel was maced and chased away, and his vehicle was overturned by right-wing protesters.

There was no visible police presence throughout the day, besides the officers who arrested the gunman and swept the scene.  In the run-up to the showdown, Portland police warned that they won’t intervene in clashes and instead “will be sharing public safety information with the public via Twitter.”