The previous GD thread on Portland was automatically closed due to trolling, and there doesn’t seem much interest by the mods to reopen it. So let’s start a new one. I opened this in MPSIMS because in addition to some politics and debate, there’s also a breaking news aspect to this. So share news, thoughts, etc. Politics is fair game, but no rants or Pit material.
Some new developments since the thread was closed:
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After negotiations between Governor Brown and VP Pence, the feds have (supposedly) agreed to withdraw and turn over protection of the federal buildings to State Police. Both sides obviously are claiming victory. Which I guess is fine, there’s no way something like this ends if both side can’t save face. This still doesn’t address the tactics being used to squelch protests and dissent by the local police and now the State Police, but at least we have easier recourse now. As I heard an activist say last night, “I can contact Mayor Wheeler or Governor Brown and have some hope that my concerns will be heard. I can’t do that with acting DHS head Wolfe.”
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The Wall of Moms has turned into a shit show of drama and is most likely no more, at least in its current incarnation. This is unfortunate because it was doing a good job of combatting the image of protesters as violent and it plays well on media. But it was also co-opting the BLM movement in a perfect example of white privilege, pushing aside the cause of racial justice to address issues that impact white folks more directly. WoM tried to address this by saying they were turning leadership over to women of color, but then the white founder went behind their backs to register it as a 501c3, with no Black representatives on the board. It’s tough to sort out the good from the bad in this, but IMO it seems like a mostly well-intentioned group led by at best a slightly clueless woman, and at worst someone who didn’t really care about the people she said she was fighting for.
And some more info for people who are aware of what’s happening in Portland only from national media stories, this article has what I consider a fairly unbiased view of what a protest typically looks like lately. Many of the specific events described are from one of the nights I was there, and it matches my experiences.
THAT was a great read. Thanks for sharing.
All those worried about teh antifah should read it and learn
If the local police could not protect federal buildings then yes, I’m ok with the feds sending in their own security. Its good the state decided to come in.
But I cant see what the heck they are still protesting for?
The local police were doing fine. No one was paying much attention to the federal building until the feds came. The focus of protesters had been the county Justice Center on the next block.
Again, the reasons given for sending federal enforcement were absolutely and completely false. Your government is lying to you.
The protests started to support BLM, racial justice, and ending police brutality. Those problems weren’t magically resolved when the feds left.
Remember all that stuff they were protesting about before the Feddies came to town?
Yeah-that stuff.
I’m seeing some chatter about this, albeit exclusively on RWNJ websites, and most of it is how the mainstream press (i.e. non-RWNJ sources) are deliberately suppressing it.
I have heard that this is going on in a very small area of Portland, and it’s the same people night after night. Any Dopers from the area wish to comment, if they know anything more?
A very good friend of mine lives in the area. He’s a no Trump Republican if that matters. He said that it’s pretty much the same people every night and that it is confined to a two by four block area in front of the courthouse. The rest of downtown had been fine. Every couple of weeks some out of town Proud Boy dickheads start trouble and things flare up for a bit. Other than that, it’s peaceful. He and I spoke a few hours ago and he’s hopeful that they’ll go away now.
Thanks. That’s what I’ve heard too, and that the Portland press doesn’t want to give them publicity, because that’s what they’re craving.
It’s mostly a non-story here, basically on par with any other incident of “a few kids broke a window last night.” For the latest events, I wouldn’t even say it’s a 2x4 block area, it’s more isolated and much smaller groups.