PORTLAND, Ore. — The city of Portland said it has bolstered private security for commissioner and mayoral candidate Rene Gonzalez after an alleged online threat.
"Our office is aware of a threat made against Commissioner Gonzalez last week and we have referred the matter to law enforcement," said Shah Smith, Gonzalez's chief of staff, in a statement.
KGW has not independently confirmed the threat, but The Oregonian reported Wednesday that it was provided a copy of a social media post depicting the commissioner overlaid with red crosshairs, reading, "You can always clean up Portland by getting rid of Rene."
The publication said that the post was originally published in late June, although city officials did not become aware of it until Sunday, after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.
The Portland Police Bureau confirmed that it was aware of a posted threat and was investigating.
Carrie Belding, a spokesperson for the city of Portland, said that Gonzalez is receiving "additional security measures." She did not provide further details about the nature of that extra security.
"Our Security Division provides executive protection services to each of the City’s elected officials," Belding said. "The Mayor, City Commissioners and Auditor are provided the same resources when events or threats necessitate additional security.
"In order to best allocate our resources, we prioritize elected officials who are experiencing an escalation in their threat level. This proactive approach ensures that our security efforts are focused where they are most needed."
The Oregonian reported that the city of Portland has provided Gonzalez with a 24/7 security detail since early this year.
In February, Gonzalez publicly announced that he was taking a break from TriMet after being "accosted" by a woman on a MAX train who was critical of his policies. Security video from the train shows a woman briefly brushing by him as she walks up the aisle before sitting down in front of him.
Gonzalez's office has pointed to a string of incidents like this that they say indicate that they are being targeted by political dissidents.
"This is part of a consistent pattern against Commissioner Gonzalez in particular, but also more generally against those who voice support for law enforcement in Portland," Smith said in his statement. "Portland Police and Portland Security Staff are taking these matters seriously and have stepped up protection of the Commissioner, especially since the arson at his family home."
Smith referred to an incident in January, in which a car belonging to a family member of Gonzalez was set on fire outside his home. Investigators said that there was evidence of arson, although no suspects in the case have been identified and there have not been any updates on it since.
