Portland Train Attacks: Suspect: 'You Call It Terrorism! I Call It Patriotism!'

Jeremy Christian, accused of stabbing three people, killing two during a hate-filled rant Friday afternoon, was defiant during his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon on charges of murder, attempted murder, and intimidation. "You call it terrorism! I call it patriotism!" he shouted at the packed courtroom.

In the courtroom was Micah Fletcher, a 21-year-old student at Portland State University who was one of three people that police say stood up to Christian when he started verbally assaulting two teens on the MAX Friday afternoon.

"Free speech or die, Portland," Christian continued. "You got no safe place."

Earlier Tuesday, it was disclosed that Christian had threatened to decapitate people and told a jail intake officer, "If you don't like free speech, get the f--- out of my country."

That was included in court papers detailing some of the background of Christian, who is set to make his first appearance for the murders Tuesday afternoon. He currently faces charges including murder, attempted murder and intimidation under the Oregon hate crime statute.

According to the affidavit of Detective Michele Michaels, which was filed with the court, Christian is seen and heard on surveillance tape and cell phone video attacking the three men.

Michaels writes that she was told by Micah Fletcher, the man who survived, "that Mr. Christian was yelling racial and religious epithets and threatened to decapitate people."

Christian, who has previous convictions of robbery and kidnapping — and was shot in the cheek once while fleeing a police officer — is homeless, unemployed and uses alcohol weekly, according to court records. He told intake officials at the jail as he was being booked that he's not sure the last time he had a permanent address.

Christian had been living with his parents in North Portland.

The documents indicate that Christian has not had any mental health treatment. He did say that he had attended treatment for marijuana in 2012 when he was released from federal prison.

Christian was placed in isolation.

On Friday night, police said, Christian started screaming racist invectives toward two teenage girls, one of whom is Muslim and was wearing a hijab.

When three men tried to intervene, witnesses say Christian stabbed them in their throats. One died at the scene, one at the hospital. The third man survived and was released from the hospital on Monday.

Portland Police and the FBI continue to look into Christian, trying to determine whether he acted alone as well as exploring what led up to the attack.

The night before the murders, police said Christian was involved in a different altercation — also on the MAX train — at the Rose Quarter station. Christian allegedly threw a bottle of Gatorade at a woman who is black. She then sprayed him with mace. Later that evening, he was back on the MAX, police said.

Witnesses said Christian was very angry, complaining about Muslims, Christians and Jews. He said they should burn at the stake and spoke about wanting to stab people. The driver was informed but it appears that police were not informed until later.

A grand jury is expected to start hearing the case by the end of the week. Christian was appointed a court-appointed lawyer. He is due back in court June 7th.

VICTIM'S MOTHER PLEADS WITH TRUMP

The mother of one of two people murdered while defending teens against a racist attack is pleading with President Trump to take action against action against hatred.

"You have said that you will be President for all Americans," Asha Deliverance, whose son Taliesin Myrddin Namkai Meche was killed on Friday, wrote in an open letter to the president she posted on her Facebook page. "So, I ask you Mr. President to take action at this time. Your words and actions are meaningful, here in America and throughout the world.

"Please encourage all Americans to protect and watch out for one another. Please condemn any acts of violence, which result directly from hate speech & hate groups. I am praying you will use your leadership to do so."

Deliverance writes that her son "died a hero. He was just 23, a year out of college with a degree in economics, working, had just bought his first home and was thinking about starting a family.

"Our family grieves, but we are proud that through his selfless action he, along with the other two men, has changed the world, when in the face of hate he did not hesitate to act with love."

WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS

While the White House has not responded to Deliverance's letter, on Monday — 60 hours after the incident — they did respond to what had happened; though it's still not clear if the response was from the president or a staffer.

On Monday morning was the first comment from the White House in a tweet from the POTUS account.

The violent attacks in Portland on Friday are unacceptable. The victims were standing up to hate and intolerance. Our prayers are w/ them. — President Trump (@POTUS) May 29, 2017

While the statement is strong, it's not clear if the tweet is from the president or his staff. Trump maintains two Twitter accounts, the @realDonaldTrump account that gets the most notice and the @POTUS account.

The tweet was sent at 10:51 EST. Just five minutes earlier he had arrived at Arlington National Cemetery for the Memorial Day observance and was walking to where he would be participating in a ceremony.

The White House has not responded to a question about whether the tweet was from the president or staff.

MAYOR WANTS DEMONSTRATION CANCELED

Mayor Ted Wheeler is pleading with organizers of two upcoming alt-right rallies planned for Portland to postpone or cancel their plans. Short of that, the mayor said, he hopes the federal government, which has issued permits for the rallies, will revoke the permits.

Wheeler said the city needs a cooling-off period. He said that in the wake of Friday's incident where three men were stabbed — two of them killed — defending two teens who were being subjected to a racist attack, now is not the time for an alt-right protest.

"Our city is in mourning, our community's anger is real, and the timing and subject of these events can only exacerbate an already difficult situation," Wheeler said Monday. "Our community remains in shock.

Watch: Portland Teen Targeted In Attack Thanks Saviors

"I am appealing to the organizers of the alt-right demonstrations to cancel the events they have scheduled for June 4th and June 10th," Wheeler continued. "I urge them to ask their supporters to stay away from Portland at this difficult time."

Wheeler is referring to two demonstrations planned for the federally-controlled area of Terry Schrunk Plaza, where the federal courthouse is. The mayor said that given the rawness of emotions in the city right now, he would like the federal government to withdraw the permit for the June 4 event and not issue one for June 10.

The Oregon chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union says Wheeler's approach is a mistake and violates the First Amendment.

"The government cannot revoke or deny a permit based on the viewpoint of the demonstrators," it said in a statement.

"Our hearts are broken, but government censorship is not the answer," the chapter's legal director, Mat dos Santos, said. "We must defend the constitution even when it is uncomfortable."

HELPING THE FAMILIES

Meanwhile, fundraising continues for the victims of Friday's incident and their families.

The page set up by Portland restaurateur Nick Zukin to help the families of the two men who were killed has now raised $496,616 from 9,750 people.

A page set up to help Micah Fletcher, who survived, has raised $228,407 from 6,746 people.

A page set up to help the two girls who were the target of the vitriol that inspired three men to intervene has raised $29,865 from 915 people.

And a page set up by the Muslim community to help the families of the three stabbing victims has raised $479,967 from 9,488 people.

Photo Multnomah County Sheriff's Office