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Oct. 17, 2010
City Commissioner Nick Fish expressed concerns about damage to Portland’s Lownsdale Square and Chapman Square on Monday, October 17. These concerns are important to the city and its residents, as these beautiful and historic public spaces are invaluable. Many people of Occupy Portland share these concerns, respect the people who have called attention to them, and seek a positive outcome for all stakeholders.
The issue of damage to these squares—the result of thousands of public visitors—has been a serious concern to Occupy Portland organizers since starting their conversations about issues of economic justice in our community. Mayor Sam Adam’s team was made aware of informal plans by the occupiers to provide money and/or labor for the purpose of rehabilitating these historic public spaces on Saturday, October 8.
There is historical significance to this space. According to the Portland Parks & Recreation main website, Lownsdale & Chapman Squares, “The plaza blocks were lively places where orators held forth and citizens assembled.” It is important to remember that the damage to this public space has resulted from free association by thousands of taxpaying citizens, in line with its historical use. People are participating in the non-violent exercise of their First Amendment rights and the public spaces remain open and accessible to the public and to all city institutions. The Portland Police Bureau’s acting Chief of Police has made several visits to the parks with senior lieutenants and commanders. Their officers maintain a presence on street corners and walk through the parks to ensure public safety.
Representatives from the Portland Parks & Recreation Bureau are welcome, just as any other person, to enter these public spaces at any time. Occupy Portland protesters have held constructive and civil conversations with official and informal community organizations to share the space as necessary. These are still public spaces, and the community is still welcome. Persons involved in organizing the occupation understand the city faces budget cuts and scheduling issues, and wish to assist city personnel with any necessary inspections.
In the mean time, the Occupy Portland media and outreach volunteers encourage the city to provide to the Occupy Portland General Assembly any concerns or specific action plans that occupiers may consider and assist with. Anyone may stop by the information booth to ensure this information is received and distributed in a timely manner.
Occupy Portland volunteers and committees remain open to suggestions, concerns and comments, and many occupiers have expressed a willingness to find a solution to any damage the park may receive as a result of the occupation. The protection and preservation of this public space as a forum for First Amendment expressions should be a principal goal of the entire community.
***This statement is not an official statement from the General Assembly***
The Original Open Letter To Occupy Portland from Commissioner Nick Fish
It should be noted that the response posted on this website is an edited summarized version of the original document sent to the Commissioner’s office today on behalf of The Green Guardians as well as the Peace & Safety Team. A copy of the original letter will be available at the information desk as well as the Peace & Safety tent. It should also be noted that the letter sent was not on behalf of Occupy Portland, but on behalf of the working groups most impacted by the current and developing relationship with Portland Parks.
I was disturbed to notice in Mr. Fish’s letter that he said banks and corporations won’t be paying to fix the parks.
Why not? Because they don’t pay their fair share of taxes. These parks are downtown in the midst of business areas, and generally used by big corporations; Goldman told their people not to eat lunch in the park, they eat there usually. So, again the taxpayers pay for the Goldman Sacks lunch park; yes we did because the owners falsely got a small business grant for that small part of their giant corporation.
The banks and corporations did not destroy the parks, Occupy Portland did. If I entered a park and destroyed all or part of it I would be arrested and have to make restitution.
I have been listening to this 99% chant for too long. What does it mean? What do you want? You surely don’t believe the 1% cares that you are unhappy. Snap out of it and find a way that gets more than 1% of the people behind your cause.
When you say “destroy the parks” do you mean that they’re completely useless? I’m pretty sure the parks are totally intact and grass will grow back in the spring.
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/2011/10/Occupy-discretion.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bizj_portland+%28Portland+Business+Journal%29
They just posted this on-line wake up people…
So effectively, this is a “signed” piece by Green Guardians and Peace & Safety, which is fine.
But it highlights concern about how the web site can be most effective in representing Occupy and providing high quality, effective, timely information while having a transparent process. Because this kind of public information and discussion resource is so highly important, it raises the stakes for transparency, accountability and, again, effectiveness.
While this is not the place to make a formal proposal, the suggestion I made during the GA last week is to form an editorial board approved by the GA each day, consisting of, for example, four people who are responsible for advising on content for the front page (aside from GA-adopted statements).
This approach works quite well for the Climate Action Network at the UN climate negotiations. CAN publishes the ECO daily newsletter on paper and online during negotiating sessions including the upcoming one at the end of the year in Durban (where as in 2010 I will again be ECO editor) — see http://www.climatenetwork.org/eco-newsletters
Each day the CAN daily meeting — the equivalent of the GA — takes self-nominations and approves the ECO ed board. The ed board reviews incoming articles proposed by CAN working groups and members for consistency with CAN policy, readability, etc. No previous journalistic experience is required; only common sense and a willingness to serve. This approach works effectively because people can and want to offer their service and judgment on behalf of the movement as a whole.
First thing to do is get some protection on the trees. Placing slats of wood between the ropes and the bark or some other form of reliving the stress should be an easy fix.
Somebody ‘official’ at Occupy should start a kickstarter crowd-sourced donation to cover the damages. I’m sure if word gets out there will be thousands of people in the city willing to donate a buck or two…
Regarding Commissioner Fish’s concern about the cost of repairing the parks I wonder if anyone has looked at the revenue Occupy Portland has generated for the city including local businesses.
Move the carnival elsewhere. Freedom of expression does not include damaging public property. Everyone is gearing up for confrontation despite all the statements to the contrary. I have stated this before, but essentially these parks are being held hostage and at the expense of the city, and yes, the people who use to frequent these parks to enjoy them for what they were intended. It is shameful this wanton disregard for theses unique spaces.
What you don’t seem to get is that for some people, this park holds a special place. Your disrespect by continuing to disallow the public to use the park as it was intended, a quiet greenspace, is astounding. It’s time to pack up your drug-addled, filthy camp and move along.
I lost my lover in September and mourned there EVERY DAY. And now I can’t be there to find the solace in this park. WHICH I PAID FOR WITH MY TAX DOLLARS.
I’ve been patient and I support the aims of the movement, but not the means. Figure out a better way, go occupy a condominium or Forest Park or whatever, but move on. More and more of us who actually do still have jobs and pay taxes (and that’s like 80-90% of us) are really getting fed up with seeing these drug-infested, filthy camps continue.
Go away, please.