Occupy Portland may be unique

 Posted by at 12:05 am  Politics
Oct 082011
 

Although I was very tired yesterday, I tried to intercept the Occupy Portland march through downtown.  I hadn’t intended to stay long, but I did want to take a few pictures and talk to a few people there.  Unfortunately, I missed the timing and had to return home when my oxygen ran short.  Nevertheless, I’m pleased to inform you that thousands of demonstrators are taking part here.  Portland may be unique, because I am aware of no other major city, where the demonstrators have the blessings and support of the city government.  If I am mistaken, and there are others, please correct me.

8portland

With over 24 hours down, Occupy Portland has gone comparably smoother than other occupations across the country. Specifically, the mothership, Occupy Wall Street.

Despite growing Democrat support, NYC Republican Mayor Micheal Bloomberg blamed protesters for “trying to destroy the jobs of working people in this city.”

“You can’t have it both ways,” Bloomberg said during a radio appearance. “If you want jobs you have to assist companies and give them confidence to go and hire people.” Additionally, NYPD hasn’t had the cleanest record, using pepper spray and batons to ward off the “mob.”

Meanwhile in downtown Portland, Mayor Sam Adams has made his support known with occasional appearances and the patrolling police are anything but hostile (could be the overtime they’re racking up) and are accommodating to the protesters’ requests… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <The Portland Mercury>

Here’s some video. (Hat-tip Willamette Week)

Footage from Occupy Portland protests from wweek.vimeo on Vimeo.

The reaction to the demonstrations is a testament to what can happen when progressives are engaged at the grass roots level instead of whining that nobody represents them.

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  14 Responses to “Occupy Portland may be unique”

  1. I’m pleased that Portland has what you describe as an “enlightened” response to this movement! I have been down to Wall St a few times now, for the most part it is peaceful, but always with an overwhelming cop presence and they are consistently in a “threat” mode! I’ve become totally disgusted with Bloomberg – he obviously feels this as a personal threat to his “home turf” and evidently will strive by any means to supress it! He complained yesterday about the cost it is placing on the city in police over time and continues to belittle the protestors in an attempt to dissipate the demonstrations and continuing the media claims that there is no apparent cause or justification for the occupation of the area and that the demonstrators are defeating their purpose. I hope that with other areas in the country joining in, clarity of the issues will become resoundingly clear and the mayor will have to accept that his response has been unreasonable! So keep up the good work!

  2.  

    From the Occupy Wall Street statement:

    no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known.

    This is the essence of our message. The people of the world understand and are with us. It’s about time for Americans to unite against the power that wages war on democracy, freedom and justice.

    We see the Tea Cult has already denounced the pro-democracy demonstrators. No surprise.

    The Tea Cult is fundamentally about their selfish demand for more money.

    The OWS movement is about more democracy for we the people.

    Big difference, I’d say.

  3. That’s Great Tom!:)  Power to the PEOPLE!:)

  4. I live in Portland.  I’m proud of the demonstrators.

  5. Well done Portland.

  6. PORTLAND IS DOING A FINE JOB!1 THE MORE THIS MOVEMENT CONTINUES– THE MORE THE OUTRAGE OF THE BLOOMBERG  ILK WILL CONTINUE– THE MORE APPARENT AND MEANINGFUL THE MESSAGE – !!  WE MUST NEVER FORGET ; IN UNION THERE IS STRENGTH — POWER TO THE PEOPLE !

  7. Good to hear that Portland has city and police support and that the protest is a thing to behold.

    Occupy Vancouver, BC is scheduled for Saturday 15/10/11 and I’ve heard about black blocs expected to show up.  Not good.  I tried to get into the website several times now and I’ haven’t been successful.  The organising team did have a meeting with police and some retailers from the march area.  I’d hoped to go down for it but I can’t now but will let you know what happens.

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