Staff Reports
In a victory for conservative journalist Andy Ngo, three members of Antifa have been ordered to pay a hefty sum of $300,000. Multnomah County Circuit Judge Chanpone Sinlapasai handed down the judgment against Katherine Belyea, Madison Allen, and Joseph Evans (who now bizarrely goes by the name Sammich Overkill Schott-Deputy), after they failed to mount a defense against the lawsuit accusing them of assaulting Ngo during a 2019 protest in Portland.
? BREAKING: Three Antifa THUGS have been ordered to pay over $300,000 to conservative journalist Andy Ngo who was badly beaten by ANTIFA during a riot in Portland, Oregon.
— Proud Elephant ??? (@ProudElephantUS) August 22, 2023
The lawsuit detailed the terrifying events of May 29, 2019, when Ngo was bravely live-streaming a protest in downtown Portland. It was Schott-Deputy who initiated the attack, followed by Allen striking Ngo on the head with a sign and Belyea throwing a milkshake at him. Ngo, reflecting on the incident, expressed his distress and fear at the continuous mockery of his near-death experience by these violent extremists.
Andy Ngo has become a prominent conservative journalist and editor, known for his coverage and criticism of the left-wing political movement Antifa. One of the most notorious incidents involving Ngo and Antifa occurred in Portland in 2019. During a series of protests and counter-protests on June 29, 2019, Ngo was viciously attacked while filming. He was pelted with milkshakes, eggs, and various objects, and was even punched by masked individuals. The aftermath of the attack showed Ngo with cuts and bruises on his face, requiring hospitalization and resulting in a brain bleed.
Since the attack, there have been widespread demands for justice and accountability. The Portland Police Bureau faced criticism for its lackluster response, further fueling the ongoing debate over Antifa’s tactics and the broader issue of political violence in the United States.
The recent hearing in Ngo’s case presented a stark contrast to an earlier trial. Oregon Live reports that during the previous trial, a jury found that activists John Hacker and Elizabeth Richter had not injured Ngo during a 2021 social justice protest. However, in this latest hearing, the outcome seemed predetermined, favoring Ngo. With the defendants failing to refute the claims against them, Judge Sinlapasai accepted the lawsuit’s assertions as truths. Previous judgments had already established that the three defendants were in default.
Ngo’s lawyer, Dorothy Yamamoto, successfully secured the full amount sought in an unexpected twist. The defense attorney for Schott-Deputy revealed that his client had been incarcerated in both New York and Oregon, only to be found living under a bridge. However, Yamamoto argued that Schott-Deputy had been well-informed about the lawsuit, citing news reports referencing him in relation to Ngo’s case. She also pointed out that private detectives had located Schott-Deputy at a residence and had served the lawsuit there.
Judge Sinlapasai sided with Yamamoto, citing a previous ruling that allowed Ngo to notify all three defendants via a public notice in The Oregonian in 2020. John Hacker, who was cleared in the first trial, sat as the lone spectator in the courtroom. He expressed his team’s determination to seek reimbursement for their legal expenses from Ngo.
This ruling against the Antifa members responsible for Ngo’s assault sends a clear message that violence and intimidation will not be tolerated. It is a victory for freedom of speech and journalists who face constant threats and attacks for simply reporting the news. Hopefully, this substantial judgment will deter future acts of violence from the radical left and remind them that there are consequences for their actions.
