[5][6] The cider house, described as a "gathering place for antifascists, anarchists and other leftists",[7] was the site of a brawl between members of the far-right[8] group Patriot Prayer and the bar's patrons on May Day in 2019.

[14][15][10] On September 24, MLS revoked their ban on the public display of the antifascist symbol and agreed to form a working group made up from staff, supporters, and diversity and inclusion experts to update the Fan Code of Conduct for 2020.

[22] A police detective described video of the group's leader, Joey Gibson, "taunting" and threatening members of antifa and later “physically pushing” a woman before she was hit with a baton and knocked unconscious by someone else.

[28][29] Gibson was acquitted of felony riot charges in July 2022, and the judge rebuked the district attorney's office for pursuing a trial on the evidence presented.

"[31] A 2019 investigation by Oregon regulators alleged that Goldman-Armstrong was aware patrons were using illegal weapons against right-wing agitators and that he refused to remove problem customers from his property.

[32][33] The OLCC report recommended charging Cider Riot's owner and staff with three state alcohol license violations: providing false statements, failure to evict, and permitting unlawful and disorderly activity.

[32] OLCC investigators reported that the complaints were not from cider house patrons but were instead from “concerned citizens throughout the state" who viewed video of the brawl on the news and YouTube.

"[32] Lawyers for Goldman-Armstrong relayed that Gibson and Patriot Prayer had used social media to encourage supporters to report Cider Riot to state regulators.

[21] The owner of Cider Riot told KPTV that the deceased, Sean Kealiher, an outspoken activist involved in Portland protests, had been at the cidery on the night of the incident.

[37] The SUV involved, which had been shot at by Hyatt Eshelman, a friend of the deceased, was found abandoned with bullet holes at the Democratic Party of Oregon two blocks away from Cider Riot.