Tayler Hansen, known for painting 'Baby Lives Matter' murals across the country, claimed that he was beaten by "a group of Antifa and other left wing rioters" on Tuesday night in Portland. He first gained notoriety for painting the slogan in front of Planned Parenthood in Salt Lake City.
Hansen had been covering the unrest in Portland in recent weeks and said in a tweet on Wednesday that he was attacked by Antifa members in black bloc attire. Hansen, an independent journalist, returned to cover rioting in Portland on Tuesday after being held in jail over the weekend.
"Last night in Portland I was beaten bloody by four people in Black Bloc," Hansen wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. The tweet was part of a lengthy thread detailing his experience in Portland.
"It started with a press member recognizing me, he proceeded to get his phone to show a group of Black Bloc what I believe to be my Instagram," Hansen stated in another tweet. "I fled and changed my disguise, and returned once they had arrived at a different location."
Also part of the thread was a screenshot of a Twitter user posting a picture of Hansen in the area and accusing him of saying that "he infiltrated antifa." Hansen claimed that this was how he was discovered after he changed his outfit. Hansen also included a video of two "suspicious men" acknowledging his presence. In the video, it sounds like the two men say "How's it going Tayler?" as they walk by.
"I began walking away, a few blocks down there was a group of four dressed in Black Bloc waiting for me around the corner," Hansen went on to explain. "They proceeded to beat me. I was punched in the face, thrown on the ground where they began kicking me in the back and hitting me in the face again."
Hansen stated that he was just grateful to be alive: "I am thankful they stopped the beating when they did and didn't use weapons to inflict harm or death upon me."
Hansen has taken part in painting 5 "Baby Lives Matter" murals across America. He recently raised over $19,000 on GoFundMe to help fund the creation of the murals.
The pro-life activist was inspired to paint the murals when the "Black Lives Matter" movement gained traction after the murder of George Floyd in May and racial justice activists began painting the phrase "Black Lives Matter" on streets across the U.S.
