Response to Portland Police Bureau’s handling of August 4th protest
August 4th: Despite dangerous actions from Portland Police and proto-fascists, momentum builds for major, community-led changes to policing.
What happened on and around August 4th was a major disgrace for Portland’s police leadership, and an overall victory for a community of people and groups dedicated to actively opposing fascism, white nationalism, and violence against the vulnerable.
On August 4, as planned, various violent far-right groups and individuals traveled to Portland, this time permitted by city leadership to protest in a location that allows for open carry of guns. Admitting the elevated threat of these armed groups, a large, militarized police presence was ordered to keep separate this armed demonstration (several hundred) from an organized counter-protest made up mostly of locals (approx. 1200). Portland Police were led on the ground by Chief Danielle Outlaw who, all too literally, with Mayor Ted Wheeler’s full confidence, called the shots. Eventually, as the pro-Trump crowd cheered, the police decided to attack the counter-protest using a variety of weapons and tactics, resulting in well-documented serious injuries and offenses. On that day and for days afterward, Outlaw took to the media and offered a variety of (mostly dubious) justifications for the use of force, mixed in with some blatantly misleading narratives about the demonstrators she ordered her forces to attack.
Speaking as a group that has engaged in serious negotiation and dialogue with city leaders about police actions (based on our criminal justice reform platform section 5), August 4th and its aftermath has been, in many ways, beyond disappointing. This response will not dwell on the numerous glaring examples, many of which have been documented, and most of which are insulting to the notion of a functioning modern democratic dialogue. Based on available evidence it is reasonable to expect this militarized police force to carry out unacceptable use-of-force moving forward. It is reasonable to conclude that the police — from the very top — will continue to vilify, smear and demonize organized opposition to fascist organizing and violence and will do so with no effective independent oversight. It is urgent, therefore, that Portlanders be willing to continue to envision and work for major change in police leadership and policies.
While this event indicates police leadership and behavior is trending in an alarming direction, pro-democracy community opposition scored a victory on August 4th through solidarity. If the police attack was warranted and responsible, none of the police’s embarrassing explanations would have been necessary. Through continued togetherness despite adversity, Portlanders have momentum to score major victories that could deeply change policing as we know it.
Together We Will Win
The single most inspiring takeaway from the August 4th events in downtown Portland was the courage, discipline, and humor among the counter-protestors as a whole. The counter-protest included many unaligned individuals, and also a variety of groups. The majority of those on the counter-protest side came prepared to face: 1. Various types of violence from armed white nationalist and bigot groups, and 2. a dangerous, tense police presence. The Portland Police found reason to attack, a major mistake and outrage. Excessive, documented police violence against a relatively unified, non-violent population is highly unpopular.
If we as a city, in solidarity with other cities and towns around the country, continue to put forth a disciplined and principled effort against the immense force wielded by a white nationalist executive branch, economic system, and ruling party, we give ourselves the best opportunity to build a competing vision for a just and equitable society. We will push forward towards a vision of policing that refuses to be degraded or manipulated by endless cynical and brazen acts by those who incompetently and ineffectively wield that power. Among the many goals in our sights:
- a city that has reduced fatalities and use-of-force at the hands of police by at least 95%. Currently 1000 US residents are killed by police every year, with almost zero accountability. Portland and Oregon are no exception to those trends.
- a city where a police force, if society deems one effective and acceptable, has no access to militarized armor, weapons, nor surveillance that is wielded opaquely and with ideological malice. Currently local police forces are permitted to operate like corrupt mercenary armies occupying, exploiting and running intelligence operations against black, brown and/or poor populations.
- a society where those people of conscience who joined the police come forward bravely to expose and transform the daily practices of the force. Currently, police whistleblowers are rare, though momentum is building despite serious obstacles.
- a city where a police force is not at all involved in criminalizing poverty or mental hardship. Currently as of 2017 52% of arrests under City of Portland leadership are of people experiencing houselessness.
The future we envision will make this era’s policing leadership and practices appear through the lens of history to be the barbaric moral monstrosities they are. Though smart, professional, diverse, capable people may preside over and perform these normalized barbaric practices, it makes them no less acceptable in a just society.
August 4th, another day in a long saga pitting overly-forceful, patriarchal systems and individuals against those they seek to dominate, showed that — given current leadership — we have very good reason to expect more harmful and alarming police attacks by militarized units. But, we also have seen that widely-available evidence, narrative and principle greatly favors our side, the side of the people who seek to live up to the lofty accomplishments of historically successful non-violent resistance movements.
We will remain committed, active, diverse and courageous, because we know that despite the duress, our vision of a reality imbued with a deep, enduring justice is gathering momentum, and massive leaps of long overdue progress are within our sights. While department leadership retreats to the friendly confines of right-wing radio to claim they “kicked butt” on August 4th, any sober observer has to wonder whether that attitude will prevail in the long-term fight for the soul of the city.
