VICTOR JOECKS: Portland is now Gotham City without Batman

Apparently, Portland’s political leaders thought Batman was the bad guy. They’ve turned the Rose City into Gotham City without the Caped Crusader.

“Everything burns,” the Joker declared in “The Dark Knight.” Portland rioters have done their best to demonstrate that.

On Tuesday night, a group of several hundred people attacked a local government building, according to news accounts. They rolled flaming dumpsters into the streets. They lit fires outside the building. After breaking several of its windows, they sprayed lighter fluid inside the building and started another fire.

So much for the mere presence of federal law enforcement officers provoking the protesters.

Liberals trotted out that excuse for weeks. During that time, anarchists frequently tried to set a federal courthouse on fire — once after barricading the exits in an attempt to trap federal officers inside. They threw smoke bombs into the building. They launched fireworks and threw Molotov cocktails at officers defending it. They’ve set fire to the Portland police union building multiple times.

Those actions aren’t about pursuing justice. As Alfred, Batman’s loyal butler and mentor, pointed out, “Some men just want to watch the world burn.”

The presence of evil isn’t new. The abdication of Portland’s political leaders is.

“Crime cannot be tolerated,” Ra’s Al Ghul, the villain in “Batman Begins,” declared. “Criminals thrive on the indulgence of society’s understanding.”

They certainly are in Portland. Since the riots started, police have arrested around 550 people who are facing various misdemeanor and felony charges. News accounts reveal that Mike Schmidt, the local district attorney, is dropping many of the charges. Two-Face would be proud.

Instead of cracking down on the thugs attacking law enforcement, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler joined them. One night, he made his way to the front of the group of rioters and was among those tear-gassed. Incredibly, he’s running for re-election against someone even more extreme than he is. Wheeler eventually said, “I denounce all violence.”

His election opponent Sarah Iannarone couldn’t bring herself to echo a similar sentiment. “These protests are an important part of a healthy democracy,” she said when asked about those committing violence. She continued, “Their outrage at the police is valid. The problem of police brutality in executing Black lives in the streets is more important than petty vandalism to me.”

She might as well have been quoting Bane, the villain from “The Dark Knight Rises.”

“We take Gotham from the corrupt. The rich. The oppressors of generations who have kept you down with myths of opportunity, and we give it back to you … the people,” Bane said. “Gotham is yours. None shall interfere. Do as you please.”

At night, Portland belongs to the mob. Antifa members or Black Lives Matter protesters frequently stop or redirect traffic. Last Sunday, a group with a BLM protest dragged a man away from his car and beat him. The assault ended with a protester kicking him in the head and knocking him unconscious. His girlfriend said she was assaulted, too, and had a hairline rib fracture and numerous bruises. In late July, Portland police arrested an antifa member and convicted pedophile for stabbing an African American Trump supporter.

In “Batman Begins,” Ra’s Al Ghul believed Gotham’s decadence necessitated its destruction, but Batman stopped him.

In real life, Batman isn’t coming. At night, Portland is now a decadent town only a supervillain could love. Either its liberal political leadership allows the police to do their job or there will be many more dark nights in the future.

Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698.