When it comes to lawlessness and violence, Portland leaders must demonstrate that actions speak louder than words. Recent tough talk from the mayor and the police chief will mean more if followed by reasonable measures to prevent clashes on the streets of the city.
A series of brawls over the past two years have besmirched the entire region. Now, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Police Chief Danielle Outlaw are promising a more robust response to protesters intent on creating chaos that often has led to violence. “We don’t want you,” Wheeler said last week. “But if you do come, we will be ready for you.”
The warning comes with right-wing activists planning a rally Saturday at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. If recent history is any indication, that could lead to a clash with self-described anti-fascist groups known as antifa. As Willamette Week, an alternative newspaper in Portland, has explained: “For more than two years, far-right provocateurs have targeted Portland with rallies to bait antifascists. The Portland police have repeatedly failed to keep the opposing sides apart.”
The conflict has occasionally spilled over to north of the Columbia River. In September 2017, the group Patriot Prayer, founded by Clark County’s Joey Gibson, held a rally near downtown Vancouver. According to The Columbian, “The rally saw scuffles and yelling, and three people were arrested, although the gathering did not see the running street violence sparked by other Patriot Prayer events.”
Such street violence in Portland has drawn national attention, particularly on right-wing media outlets attempting to paint the city as a hotbed of unrest. On June 29, masked protesters punched, kicked and threw milkshakes at a conservative videographer. Following the assault, for which no arrests have been made, the journalist made several appearances on national media and asked Portland police, “Where the hell were all of you?”
It is a good question, and one that has damaged the area’s reputation. That has led to a belated zero-tolerance promise from Wheeler and Outlaw. OregonLive.com reported: “The pair, who collectively lead Portland’s police force, voiced their toughest stance yet against people using the cloak of free speech as a pretext to brawl on city streets.”
According to OregonLive.com: “Supporters of the August gathering have spoken openly on the internet about bringing weapons to Portland and desires to ‘exterminate’ antifa members. Portland’s antifa group, Rose City Antifa, has issued a call for its supporters to ‘defend’ the city.”
Such rhetoric would be quashed if Portland leaders had taken a firm stance from the beginning. As Amy Herzfeld-Copple, deputy director at pro-democracy group Western States Center, told Willamette Week: “We think Portland is being targeted because it is perceived as a progressive city, and these groups have a very specific intention of creating chaos and undermining democratic institutions of government.”
That applies to both sides of the conflicts, even as the groups involved try to turn the violence into propaganda to support their agendas. And it undermines the civility necessary for maintaining the region’s quality of life. The bottom line is that law enforcement must be empowered to make arrests and prevent violence.
Portland officials are promising a more robust law enforcement presence for the next rally, and say they are working with federal and state officials to secure additional personnel and equipment. We trust they will back up those words with actions.
