Comments on: Police Respond Violently to Anti-Police Brutality March

By: Trisha

Trisha — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:05:20 +0000

Out of all of these comments the one that makes the most sense is that OPDX needs to “police” itself. I was impressed at the commitment to non-violence when in one of the first marches that is exactly what took place. When a bottle was thrown at an officer the crowd of protesters pushed him through the crowd to be arrested. You guys are out there to make a point and invoke change but without a thug mentality. Incidents of public destruction and intimidation will loose you followers. More and more of the 99% will be less likely to join you out of fear.
By policing yourselves you kill two birds with one stone. first off you will repair the tarnished image of OWS; and second it would be a good way to check your theory of police infiltration. If the vandals are immediately stopped and pushed toward police for arrest as before that forces the police to act on the person creating havoc. If the police refuse to act on these individuals you have your proof. Just be sure to video tape the police letting these individuals walk away.

By: The Realist

The Realist — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:52:37 +0000

The fact that their way of thinking is “nonsense” does not mean that they do not act on it, or that it is not the answer to your question: “how did this happen?” I am not suggesting that you have to choose any sort of allegiance. You are perfectly free to pursue whatever course of action you deem most appropriate. I only hope that you choose with the full knowledge of how those around you perceive your choices (assuming that you care about such things).

By: Jess E. Hadden

Jess E. Hadden — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:00:46 +0000

The invitation sent to members of Occupy Portland, via Occupy Portland social media channels, was for an anti-police brutality march.

As I have since learned, doing my homework via google, the organizers of this march were planning an anti-police march. Had I done my homework in advance, I would not have been surprised by what happened.

By: Trash Bully

Trash Bully — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 07:31:28 +0000

Sarah, you’re delusional. The black bloc has been doing this shit on their own and in other marches across the globe for 30 years. Just because it’s new and frightening to you doesn’t mean that you should make connections that feed your own fear, especially since there is a serious lack of anything close to evidence.

Black bloc is a tactic, it is an well known and in many places in the world a trusted tactic, just because portland is scared of it doesn’t mean it a bad thing or that it’s a secret plan by the cops.

Get a grip.

By: Jackie Miller

Jackie Miller — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:30:55 +0000

Sarah and all,

I’m not going to engage in this full debate re: black bloc since I wasn’t at Monday’s march and I don’t think an internet forum is the best place to arrive at any understanding of what happened and why. I do need to speak up against some dangerous suggestions you make here, though.

You may not be aware that since even before the eviction, police have been targeting protesters and “snatching” them–grabbing people from the crowd, off the sidewalk, often over a police line, arresting them, and subjecting them to rough treatment when they were doing nothing illegal and nothing different from anyone else. Random charges are made up after the fact. On multiple occasions, protesters have witnessed police consulting a print-out of photos (probably mug shots of those arrested previously in OP non-violent civil disobedience actions), pointing at a particular protester, then snatching and arresting them. ELK legal collective has been gathering data on these patterns. If anyone out there has witnessed this, please call the legal hotline at 503-902-5340 to report it.

This is a traditional and of course illegal police tactic geared toward repressing political dissent by targeting specific individuals for harassment and wrongful arrest, in hopes of intimidating them and anyone who witnesses it. It’s a flawed and misguided tactic for several reasons. For one, there’s little rhyme or reason to the targeting/profiling the police have done to Occupy Portland protesters so far. One pattern is that people of color seem to get targeted for harassment more. And second, it’s less likely to intimidate us than to make us more determined to stand up for our legal and constitutional rights in the face of political repression.

In light of this reality, that protesters of all stripes are being profiled and targeted by face and name by police, I think it would be wise for *more* people to disguise their identity at actions as the movement continues to confront the powers the police are beholden to protect. Not because of intent to commit acts of violence, but because of awareness of the level of political repression we’re now facing in this city and this country.

I believe it’s dangerously naive to think that anonymity in itself is a problem and that some should take it on themselves to unmask others. I’ve not yet masked myself at a march, but cops have told me, in an obvious attempt to intimidate me, that they “know” who I am. Who I am is someone who keeps tabs on them and takes note of their acts of brutality against peaceful protesters. I’m well within my rights to mask if I choose to. I’d appreciate it if you don’t take it upon yourself to unmask me and instead help us document all the acts of rampant police violence and wrongful arrest.

By: Jess E. Hadden

Jess E. Hadden — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:12:19 +0000

I don’t agree that I have to choose allegiance to one of these dangerous groups. I don’t offer appeasement to either of these factions. Their black-and-white thinking, lumping me in with the other side simply because I don’t bow before them, is exactly the sort of nonsense that I protest against. “You’re either with me or you’re against me” — it wasn’t true when George W. Bush said it, it wasn’t true when Anakin Sywalker said it, and it isn’t true now.

By: Tim

Tim — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:31:02 +0000

No offense intended, PR Committee members, but this news release tries to defend the indefensible.

Marching into a residential neighborhood and trashing cars and restaurants isn’t a political statement worth listening to. All is says is, “I can do what I want, and you can’t stop me”. That’s no basis for a community.

The cops didn’t gas or pepperspray anyone. I don’t think they beat the hell out of anyone. They didn’t shoot anyone. They didn’t Taser anyone.

They arrested some people, and their innocence or guilt will be determined in court.

Most of the comments on the news release are thoughtful and spot on. Occupy Portland has to address the problem of pointless violence or lose all validity as an agent of change.

Addressing the problem means no longer defending it.

By: nokkupy

nokkupy — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:07:40 +0000

Unfortunately, those of the “Black Bloc” tactic will most likely continue to embed themselves into the ranks of occupy marches. How we self-police ourselves will be one of the main things the public will be watching, and those whom have not made a commitment to join us for safety sake may not at all. With the approach of the Spring and May, marches will need the numbers to offset the balance of the number of police per protester ratio. That will have a profound effect as to whether violence would break out from riot cops. Remember eviction night? I agree that shunning has had an effect in Native American tribes as well. If occupiers discontinue attending their marches, then the public will be able to make the distinction.
We need to concentrate on increasing numbers for upcoming actions withing the next 3 months.

By: The Realist

The Realist — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:16:39 +0000

Jess, yes, you probably were set up, in a sense. The fight (to the extent that there is one) is between the people you describe as the “violent people dressed in black” in front of and behind you. Until you fully and completely embrace one of those sides, each of them will see you as a part of the other. To each of these sides, you are defined by your backdrop. The police will not distinguish between Occupy and Black Bloc, and Black Bloc will not distinguish between Occupy and the police. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic: you stand at the center of a battlefield offering appeasement to both sides. That is a strategy which cannot work, and for as long as you employ it, you will suffer as the fodder for both sides.

By: Steven Ingham

Steven Ingham — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:42:17 +0000

You are not imagining things,it’s real and you are spot on.