Portland stabbing suspect yells slogans at court hearing

The man accused of fatally stabbing two men in Portland, Oregon, when they tried to shield young women from his anti-Muslim tirade, made repeated outbursts in court on Tuesday, including shouting: “You call it terrorism, I call it patriotism!”

Jeremy Joseph Christian, 35, is facing charges of murder, attempted murder, intimidation, and possession of a weapon. He did not enter a plea during his brief arraignment.

Authorities say the attack on Friday started when Christian started verbally abusing two young women, including one wearing a hijab. Three men on the train intervened before police say Christian attacked them, killing two and wounding one. 

As Christian walked into the courtroom he yelled out: “Free speech or die, Portland! You got no safe place. This is America. Get out if you don’t like free speech!

Standing behind glass partitions in the defendant’s area, he continued: “Death to the enemies of America. Leave this country if you hate our freedom. Death to Antifa! You call it terrorism, I call it patriotism! You hear me? Die.”

Christian told jailers that he has no income, no mental health issues and does not remember the last time he had a permanent address. Court documents based on Jeremy Christian’s interview at the Multnomah County jail show he was concerned about free speech. The interviewer wrote that Christian became loud and animated when talking about what he believed to be the suppression of free speech.

The homicide detective investigating the attack said in court documents that surveillance and cellphone video showed Christian cutting the three victims with a knife. Detective Michele Michaels said in a probable cause affidavit made public Tuesday that the videos had audio of Christian spewing racial and religious epithets during the attack.

Christian is due back in court on 7 June.