Political tempers have been running hot across the country all year, and Oregon has added another flashpoint to the pile. A roadside gathering meant to wave American flags turned into something far more chaotic. And now a video of the confrontation is spreading online, with commenters siding against the woman, accusing her of theft and faking victimhood.
The footage, posted to X by account @DivinityMary, shows a red-haired woman in a black shirt approaching a man identified in the clip as “Scuba Steve” during the Portland Patriots Flag Wave event on August 31, 2026.
The video shows her grabbing hold of his flagpole, which leads to a physical struggle between the two. She ends up on the ground beside the sidewalk, sitting on the grass with her face in her hands, crying, as several men from the group move in around her.
The video’s audio only captures one side of the exchange. One of the men involved can be heard shouting at the woman, accusing her of instigating the confrontation and calling her a “thief.”
“She’s a thief. Here’s a thief 101 right here. Why would you ever hit? Why do you put hands on anybody, stupid?”
He can also be heard using profanity and mocking her reaction as the situation unfolds, at one point telling her to find a “safe space.”
Because the footage doesn’t include her account of events, it’s unclear from the clip alone what led her to grab the flag in the first place.
No arrests, charges, or injuries have been confirmed in connection with the incident as of this writing, and it’s not clear whether Portland police were called to the scene.
Internet Reacts to Oregon Flag Rally Confrontation
Reaction to the video, which skewed heavily conservative, largely sided with the flag-wavers. One commenter framed it bluntly: “It’s just straight-up robbery, isn’t it? Handle it quietly and fairly according to the law. Don’t act like the victims when you’re the ones trying to rob.” Another agreed with the legal read, writing, “That’s theft of personal property and probably assault charges.”
Several commenters focused on the woman’s reaction after the struggle. One wrote, “She starts it and then acts like the victim,” while a more pointed comment demanded, “Deport the American traitors.”
Not every response was purely combative, as one commenter took a broader view, writing, “Politics tearing us all apart. That’s what they want.”
Flag-grabbing incidents at political rallies have become a recurring flashpoint in Oregon and elsewhere in recent years, often escalating quickly once a physical grab is involved on either side.
This video adds to that pattern, though without additional footage or an official report, key details about how the confrontation started remain unconfirmed.
