A sheriff’s deputy in Clackamas County, Oregon was suspended Saturday after video showed him propagating baseless rumors that anti-fascist activists had started the wildfires now devastating the state. Video shows the deputy—an unidentified bald man calling himself Mark—saying, “Antifa motherf--kers are out causing hell, and there’s a lot of lives at stake and there’s a lot of people’s property at stake because these guys got some vendetta.” He also warns of “antifa or other crazy Left wing people” attacking firefighters.Craig Roberts, the Clackamas County Sheriff, said in a statement to Oregon Public Broadcasting, “As soon as I was made aware of this incident, I moved swiftly to place this deputy on leave while we investigate. The Sheriff’s Office mission is to provide calm and safety especially during unprecedented times such as these. I expect nothing less of our deputies, and apologize to all in our community.”The nearby Multnomah County Sheriff’s Department issued a similar warning over reports of groups of armed citizens illegally establishing checkpoints and detaining passersby. The department did not respond to a request for comment on whether the illegal stops were related to conspiracy theories concerning antifa.“While we understand their intent is to keep the community safe, it is never legal to block a public roadway or force other citizens to stop. This type of action increases the risk of injury to everyone at one of these roadblocks,” the announcement read.Rumors of anti-fascist arsonists have no basis in available fact, and law enforcement agencies have had to work overtime dispelling the conspiracy theories, which add chaos to a situation already rife with uncertainty and draw law enforcement resources away from assisting residents in need. A million acres have burned in the Oregon wildfires this fire season, the most on record. The blazes have consumed entire towns and killed more than a dozen people, with dozens more reported missing. One man, described by police as a “local transient,” has been charged with arson in connection to one fire. Local authorities say the 41-year-old has no known connection to anti-fascist activists. Earlier this week as smoke enshrouded cities along the West Coast in darkness, Governor Kate Brown warned, “We expect to see a great deal of loss, both in structures and in human lives. This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our state’s history.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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