A screengrab from Salem resident Joe Smothers’ Facebook Live showing the July 14, 2021 clash outside Salem’s Planned Parenthood.
A Woodburn man pleaded guilty last week to unlawful use of a weapon, stemming from a confrontation on July 13 outside Planned Parenthood in northeast Salem.
The charge alleges Joshua Dornon, 39, attempted to use a metal canister against another person, according to an indictment.
Dornon was sentenced to two days in Marion County Jail and three years of bench probation.
Charges of riot and attempted third-degree assault were dismissed as part of the April 7 plea deal, court documents showed.
In a July 14 news release, the Salem Police Department said they arrested two men during a protest in front of Planned Parenthood at 3825 Wolverine St. N.E. Dornon was not among those named in the release.
Police said the arrests followed a confrontation where people protesting against abortion and counterdemonstrators clashed and maced each other.
A grand jury in Marion County on July 22 also indicted Ricky Dale Clark, 65, of Beaverton, on charges of riot and attempted third-degree assault.
A trial in that case is scheduled to start June 21.
The charges allege Clark and at least five others engaged in “tumultuous and violent conduct,” and that Clark attempted to physically injure a person while being aided by another person. The same victim is named in both Clark’s and Dornon’s indictments.
The Marion County District Attorney’s Office did not respond to questions from Salem Reporter Wednesday about the incident, including whether any others involved are facing charges.
Salem police said in the release that around 6 p.m. on July 13, 2021, between 50 and 70 people attended a protest billed as “The Church at Planned Parenthood.” Around 20 wore Proud Boys clothing and acted as “security,” carrying guns, bats and body armor.
Proud Boys are a far-right group that’s been involved in street brawls in Salem and around the U.S.
Twenty minutes later, police said about 40 counterprotesters arrived carrying bats, paintball guns and armor, and people from each side refused to obey officers’ orders, continued clashing, and maced each other and the officers.
The release said police used “crowd control munitions” and a “loud distraction device” to stop the physical assaults.
This story was updated to reflect the correct spelling of Joshua Dornon’s name. Salem Reporter regrets the error.
-Ardeshir Tabrizian
