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US President Donald Trump has condemned the fatal stabbing of two good Samaritans trying to help a pair of young women targeted by an anti-Muslim tirade on a Portland light rail train.
Key points:
- Mr Trump says the violent attacks are "unacceptable"
- Town's Mayor asking US Government to cancel an upcoming "Trump Free Speech Rally"
- Says the rallies are inappropriate and could be dangerous
Taliesin Myrddin Namkai Meche, 23, and Ricky John Best, 53, were killed as they tried to stop Jeremy Joseph Christian from harassing the two young women, one of whom was wearing a hijab, authorities in Oregon said.
Another man who stepped in, Micah David-Cole Fletcher, 21, was stabbed in the neck and seriously injured.
"The violent attacks in Portland on Friday are unacceptable," Mr Trump said on Twitter.
"The victims were standing up to hate and intolerance. Our prayers are [with] them."
Christian was charged with aggravated murder, intimidation — the state equivalent of a hate crime — and being a felon in possession of a weapon, and was scheduled to be in court Tuesday.
His social media postings indicate an affinity for Nazis and political violence.
Portland mayor Ted Wheeler said that he hoped the victims' actions inspired "changes in the political dialogue in this country".
He asked the US Federal Government and organisers to cancel a "Trump Free Speech Rally" and other similar events set to be held in the city next weekend, saying the community was sad and angry and the rallies were inappropriate and could be dangerous.
Calls to carry on 'legacy of standing up to hate'
Mr Wheeler said his main concern was the participants were "coming to peddle a message of hatred", saying hate speech was not protected by the constitution.
A Facebook page for the event said there would be speakers and live music in "one of the most liberal areas on the West Coast".
It featured Kyle Chapman, who described himself as an American nationalist and ardent supporter of Mr Trump. Mr Chapman was arrested at a March 4 protest in Berkeley, California.
Some had called for the President to respond to the attack earlier, including former CBS broadcaster Dan Rather and US politician Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat from Oregon.
"I hope we rise to the memory of these two gentlemen who lost their lives," Mr Wheeler said, adding that he appreciated Mr Trump's words.
"Let's do them honour by standing with them and carrying on their legacy of standing up to hate and bigotry and violence."
Suspect's friend says prison 'took the real him away'
Dyjuana Hudson, the mother of one of the targets of the rant, said she was overwhelmed with gratitude and sadness for the strangers who died defending her daughter, 16-year-old Destinee Mangum.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you … you didn't even know my girls but you stepped in and saved my babies [sic] life," she wrote on Facebook.
"To the family I'm so sorry about your loss and I'm here if you need me."
Ms Mangum told news station KPTV that she and her 17-year-old friend were riding the train when Christian started yelling at them. She said her friend was Muslim, but she was not.
"He told us to go back to Saudi Arabia, and he told us we shouldn't be here, to get out of his country," Ms Mangum said.
"He was just telling us that we basically weren't anything and that we should kill ourselves."
The teens moved toward the back of the train, preparing to get off at the next stop.
"And then we turned around while they were fighting, and he just started stabbing people, and it was just blood everywhere, and we just started running for our lives," Ms Mangum said.
Tomica Clark told The Oregonian/OregonLive that she had known Christian since elementary school. She said she was surprised to hear people call Christian a racist, and said Christian had a lot of black friends.
"He never disrespected me," Clark said, but added that he changed after he got out of prison.
"Prison took the real him away."
AP
Topics: law-crime-and-justice, crime, murder-and-manslaughter, donald-trump, united-states