PORTLAND, Ore. -- As the ACLU of Oregon and other groups called for Portland police to change the way they respond to protests, Mayor Ted Wheeler admitted mistakes have been made and he expects policing to improve.
“When police show up in riot gear, it has the effect of escalating the situation,” said ACLU of Oregon spokeswoman Sarah Armstrong. “We think police policies should aim for de-escalation.”
Portland police arrested 13 people Monday during a “Not My President” rally in front of the Federal Building on Southwest Third and Columbia Street. Armstrong said officers who showed up in riot gear, as they have for all of the anti-Trump protests, used riot control tactics in making the arrests.
“Portland has a long history of civil disobedience,” said Armstrong. “What seems to be different is the swiftness and violence of the police response.”
A homeless advocacy group, Boots on the Ground PDX, also criticized actions by police during the protest. The group urged Wheeler’s office to review its protest policing policies. The group Portland's Resistance has applied for a permit to march to Wheeler's home on Wednesday in response to the issue.
Many observers have noticed a change in the tolerance level of police for protesters blocking streets under Mayor Ted Wheeler. Protests taking place in 2016, before Wheeler took office, included hours of blocked streets.
In a statement released Tuesday, Wheeler said he and the police chief will meet with members of the community to discuss how to best relieve tensions between protesters and police. (Read the full statement below)
“Inevitably, mistakes will be made. It is my job as Police Commissioner to address them and make changes when necessary. This is one of those times," said Wheeler.
"It is my expectation that policing in Portland will improve. I ran on a platform of police accountability and I intend to see it through."
A small group of protesters went to Wheeler's house around 1 a.m. Tuesday and confronted the mayor to raise objections to the police actions on Monday. In an episode captured by one of the protesters on video, the mayor urged protesters to not come to his house in the middle of the night, saying that the incident had awakened and scared his young child.
Protesters persisted, leading to a protracted and often heated exchange between the nightrobe-clad mayor and the small group on his doorstep. Police soon responded and the group dispersed.
Wheeler has been vocal about his standards: Protesters are allowed to gather and express their First Amendment rights, but they are not free to break the law.
In an interview for KGW’s Straight Talk that aired last weekend, Wheeler said, ”The minute you choose to block a street or block transit or block a highway, or engage in acts of violence, that is not protected by the U.S. Constitution as free speech.”
Several Portlanders have complained that officers pushed their way into a crowd of peaceful protesters standing on the sidewalk to make the arrests Monday.
Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson said that once officers decide to arrest someone, it’s too late to retreat to the sidewalk.
“The sidewalk is not 'home base,' ” said Simpson.
As for the request by the ACLU that officers refrain from wearing riot gear to protest, Simpson said the gear is for their own protection. During an Inauguration Day protest on Jan. 20, protesters threw eggs, rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers.
Mayor Wheeler statement
“Portland is an amazing city with a very bright future. It also faces daunting challenges. I was elected to address many of the most difficult issues facing our city: homelessness, housing affordability, crumbling transportation infrastructure, police reform, and racial justice.
“When President Trump took office, some of these challenges were exacerbated, and new ones – some terrifying – appeared: a proposed ban on Muslims entering our country; active deportation of our immigrant neighbors; approval of the Dakota Access Pipeline; threats to public education, health coverage, and environmental protection. While not all Portlanders agree with me on these issues, many do.
“It is in this context that some Portlanders are protesting, joining others around the nation to ensure that their voices are heard. Portland has a strong history of activism and peaceful protest. But the message is being undermined because of ongoing tensions between protesters and police. We cannot afford for this type of conflict to occur when we have so much other work to do in this city that requires us all to work together.
“Upon taking office, I made it clear that I support the Constitutional right to assembly and free expression. I also set some common-sense boundaries that I would ask the police to enforce: no violence, no vandalism, no accessing highways or bridges (for the safety of everyone involved), and no blocking of the regional transit system.
“Finding and maintaining an appropriate balance between assembly and order requires constant evaluation and recalibration. Democracy can be messy, that’s a fact. But as of late, it’s been far too messy here in Portland.
“Last week we saw video of protesters in masks surrounding commuters in their vehicles brandishing sticks. That isn’t good for democracy. Yesterday we saw images of a woman in her sixties injured during an arrest. That isn’t good for democracy either.
“I met with the Police Chief this morning – after thanking rank-and-file officers for the hard work they do day in and day out – and I shared my concerns with him. I asked the Chief and his command staff to help create a more positive space for expression and emphasize tactics that deescalate tensions.
“Chief Marshman knows that I support the men and women in our police force. They do tremendous good in our community. The work that they do is dangerous and often thankless. The work requires long hours, quick thinking, and good judgement.
“Inevitably, mistakes will be made. It is my job as Police Commissioner to address them and make changes when necessary. This is one of those times.
“In the coming days the Chief and I will meet with concerned parties and members of the community to discuss how we can best reduce tensions moving forward. It is my expectation that policing in Portland will improve. I ran on a platform of police accountability and I intend to see it through.
“The culture of protest locally and nationally will be with us for the foreseeable future. Portland can and should be an example of democracy done right. To get there we have some work to do, and we have to work together.”