Republicans post fake image of Oregon protest - using photos of South America

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Mon 6 Oct 2025 21.32 EDT
Last modified on Mon 6 Oct 2025 22.18 EDT



The image used by Oregon Republicans to show Portland ‘burning to the ground’ is actually from South America. Photograph: tirc83/Getty Images


Before a federal judge blocked Donald Trump from putting members of California’s national guard on the streets of Portland, Oregon, late on Sunday, the state’s Republican party welcomed the planned deployment in celebratory posts on social media.

“President Trump on Sunday deployed 300 California National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon after a judge ruled that the Oregon National Guard could not be deployed to keep federal facilities and personnel in Portland safe,” Oregon Republicans wrote on their official Facebook, Instagram and X accounts.

On all three platforms, the statement was illustrated with an image that seemed designed to support Trump’s false claim that protests against immigration sweeps in Portland are so out of control that the city is “burning to the ground”. On one side of the image, a line of police officers held riot shields; on the other, a crowd of young men held up flares that lit up a night sky filled with red smoke.


A screenshot of a post on X from the Oregon Republican party, posted on Sunday. Photograph: X

On closer inspection, however, it turned out that the image was not a photograph of a real event in Portland, but instead a fabrication created by combining two photographs of scenes that unfolded in South America nearly a decade apart.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/06/oregon-republicans-protest-photo-south-america

[durablend]

1. Of course they did

[2naSalit]

8. Because that's what they do. ...nt

[ProudMNDemocrat]

2. Nothing like creating a solution to a problem that does not exist.

That's PROPAGANDA!

[Baitball Blogger]

3. "POLICIA". lol! So incredibly funny.

[AZ8theist]

13. First thing I noticed.

When it comes to this current "administration", they simply can't fake how stupid they are......

[70sEraVet]

4. It is obvious that the image is a fake.

Those guys aren't fat enough to be OUR ICE agents!

[Lonestarblue]

5. Republicans only deal in lies and fake news these days.

Is there such a thing as an honest Republican today?

[RazorbackExpat]

23. Nope, there's no such thing

"Honest" is not in their lexicon

[flashman13]

6. If their lips are moving they are lying.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Typo: Not Oregon, it's Orwellian Republicons. . . nt

[FakeNoose]

9. Standard MO: Any photo or video posted by MAGAs, assume it's fake until proven otherwise

Just sayin'

[TheRickles]

10. So the Guardian covered it, but what about US/Oregon media?

Any mention of it here?

[Bengus81]

11. They always do shit like that and always get busted doing shit like that.............

[Martin Eden]

12. If the US media won't thoroughly expose such LIES

Then our Democratic Party should purchase commercial time on TV. All it wpuld take is some 30 second ads on prime time.

Same for Faux/Trump using footage from 2020 riots.

[gfarber]

14. A City Ablaze

A judge gave the order: “Not so!”
To Trump’s National Guard plan on show.
Though troops had been sent,
They were soon made to vent—
Their mission was halted mid-go.

The GOP cheered with a grin,
“California troops marching in!”
But before they could land,
A judge raised a hand—
And ruled their parade was chagrin.

Their posts showed a city ablaze,
With riotous, blood-red haze.
But the pic, on review,
Wasn’t Portland — who knew?
It was South America’s phase.

Two photos were spliced into one,
To show flares and cops on the run.
Though Portland’s not burning,
The image was turning
Fake news into digital fun.

Trump’s claim was both brash and bold,
But legally, truth must hold.
Though he shouted with flair,
“Send the Guard over there!”
The court said, “That move’s too cold.”

[Hugin]

15. 300? Personally, I wouldn't be bragging about a termite fart in an alleged hurricane...

But, I suppose Portland has rest areas that need cleaning by unpaid mandatory volunteers.

No doubt, the MAGAts fall for this horse crap.

[Mr.Bee]

16. Si! mltiples policas!

[progressoid]

17. They're preaching to the choir.

I don't think anyone in that choir cares about truth or accuracy.

[yellow dahlia]

22. They really don't.

RW media shares false images on a regular basis.

[wolfie001]

18. From Prez A-Hole and his repulsive minions

I sure hope all of the clowns straddling the fence are paying attention. Especially the watermelon fools that played right into Nut-&-Yahoo's hands like lambs to the slaughter.

[DiverDave]

19. Hey, Oregon rethugs

We caught your lie.
Not that your people care.
If YOU lie, it's all good.
I'm interested in your reaction if the Democratic party put out this very lie.

[louis-t]

20. Absolutely knew that was coming. It was only a matter of time.

When Stinky Orange sez "Portland is burning to the ground!!" it encourages his worshipers to try to make it real.

[riversedge]

21. 'When a Guardian reporter pointed out on social media that the image was not a genuine photograph of the generally small

Hey Oregon GOP--you meant to deceive your readers. Pure and simple as that.


...........When a Guardian reporter pointed out on social media that the image was not a genuine photograph of the generally small and tame protests outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Portland, the Oregon Republican Party’s X account replied: “We’re not reporters, just bad memers.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/06/oregon-republicans-protest-photo-south-america