With hundreds of right-wing protesters descending on Portland for a showdown with antifascists, last Saturday had all the makings of a disaster. Some, it seemed, were practically rooting for predictions of all hell breaking loose to come true.
But by late afternoon, with few skirmishes to report, the verdict was in: Saturday was unequivocally a win for Portland. Our leaders, public safety agencies and Portlanders themselves came through.
That’s due in no small part to the exhaustive work that Mayor Ted Wheeler, Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw, law enforcement partners and many others invested in preparing for the protests. Wheeler set the tone by marshaling leaders from across Portland’s political, civic, nonprofit, faith and business community to unite together in a powerful condemnation of violence. He and Outlaw worked to line up the support and personnel from other law enforcement agencies to ensure they would have the numbers needed to quell violence before it snowballed. At the same time, police officers on the ground smartly kept rival protesters separated and moving, ensuring they could exercise their right to protest while keeping a lid on the opportunity for conflicts.
The day was a win, too, for the hundreds of Portlanders who came downtown to counter right-wing protesters’ presence. With costumes, music and humor, they showed the city’s creative personality in support of a message of inclusion and peace.
Certainly, things didn’t go flawlessly. There were a few skirmishes, about 13 arrests and some post-protest antics by individuals in the anti-fascist crowd who either don’t recognize or don’t care that blocking streets and similar actions punish Portlanders as much as anyone.
And unfortunately, Proud Boys, a right-wing, “Western chauvinist” group whose members have frequently clashed with anti-fascists, said it plans to come back to Portland next month unless the city takes action against anti-fascists.
But Portland leaders have shown that they know how to respond. And that’s a message both outside agitators and the city’s residents needed to hear.
- The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board