Salem police 'take a knee' in solidarity with protesters; group marches to new police HQ

Bill Poehler
Salem Statesman Journal

A crowd of hundreds knelt in silence on the lawn of the Capitol Mall in Monday evening’s twilight.

The two previous nights saw protests at the State Capitol turn into riots in downtown Salem, and the Salem Police Department responded by firing tear gas into mobs and arresting citizens.

But on Monday, two uniformed Salem Police Department officers slowly made their way from the back of the crowd and up the park to the front where they surveyed the those assembled.

Then, they both knelt with everyone else.

The dramatic gesture made an impression on the protesters, and Salem Police Lt. Treven Upkes and Lt. Jason VanMeter exchanged handshakes and hugs with members of the audience.

Upkes read a letter from the City of Salem, Salem-Keizer NAACP and the Salem Police Department supporting the crowd's right to peaceful assembly, acknowledging their concerns and that the community still has work to do to stop injustices. He then answered questions from many of the protesters.

After the tensions rapidly escalated the prior nights, the gesture of the Salem Police Department was met with a round of applause from the crowd, and Monday’s protest remained peaceful.

“It was a small step, but yet again a huge step at the same time,” said Juan Trevino III, a protester from Salem. “Ultimately this is showing that they are wanting to work with us, and as long as we give them the same respect to work with them, then we can pursue a better relationship with them and end the riots here in Salem, end the chaos and the violence.

“And that’s ultimately the goal to end them everywhere in the nation when they get an agreement with their officers that they are wanting to bring peace.”

Demonstrators march during a peaceful rally and march in Salem, Oregon on Monday, June 1, 2020. People gathered to protest the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police officers.

In the days that followed the May 25 death of George Floyd while in custody of the Minneapolis Police Department, protests erupted around the United States, including riots in Salem that led to graffiti at the State Capitol, buildings damaged in downtown and police being targeted by protesters.

Most of those who participated in the vigil and protest left the area at the event. A small group of people did not comply with the city-issued curfew and gathered near Winter and Chemeketa streets. 

"Those individuals began throwing projectiles, explosive devices, water and other objects at the officers," Salem police spokeswoman Lt. Debbie Aguilar said Monday. 

Seven people were arrested and taken into custody. No injuries of participants or officers were reported. No additional property damage was reported. 

Off those arrested, many were in their late teens.

Upkes said the Salem Police Department normally works with those who want to hold organized protests and admitted it was caught off guard by the protests and riots on Saturday and Sunday.

Monday’s gesture by the officers went a long way in reaching out to the community.

“Tonight looked like it was the first opportunity for us to do that,” Upkes said. “Last night, really, there didn’t seem to be someone or a group of people we could actually have a dialogue with.  

“This is a touchstone and a momentous time in history, and we’re going to try to be a part of that, and we got to fix the issues that people are upset about.”

Until the dramatic entrance by the officers, the Salem Police Department and Oregon State Police went out of their way to not let their presence be felt, except when a passing Salem Police Department officer waved as he passed the crowd.

Protesters started gathering at the State Capitol around 5 p.m. and chanted sayings like, “Say his name. George Floyd,” and “Black Lives Matter.”

The group, which grew to around 200 by 7:30 p.m., started a march through city streets downtown, winding its way back to the Capitol Mall.

Protesters line the street during a peaceful rally and march in Salem  on June 1, 2020. People gathered to protest the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police officers.

After that, officers from the Salem Police Department and Oregon State Police blocked off roads and watched as the protest remained peaceful and people took turns addressing the crowd on a megaphone.

Salem was placed under a curfew of 8 p.m. Monday by City Manager Steve Powers, but it wasn’t enforced on those at the Capitol, even when the crowd that had grown to about 500 marched again to the site of the new Salem Police Department on Division Street by candlelight.

“If they want to stand on the Capitol steps, it’s up to Oregon State Police to make a determination, but I’m pretty sure there’s not a lot of trespassing that takes place on the people’s property,” Upkes said.

“If we can talk to people that are level headed and want to take a trip through downtown, we can help provide that. It’s when we veer outside that peaceful that we got to evaluate the situation.”

Many in the crowd left their candles burning at the construction barricades on Liberty Street where they again chanted and talked with police.

Kelly Johnston hold sup a sign during a peaceful rally and march in Salem, Oregon on Monday, June 1, 2020. People gathered to protest the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police officers.

Leaders of the protest at the Capitol announced they would meet again at 8 p.m. Tuesday for another peaceful protest and encouraged those assembled to go home, most of whom had.

What seemed to ultimately change the course of the protest was the communication by the police with the protesters rather than against them as they had the previous nights.

“Ultimately what had happened in Minneapolis is due to police brutality, a police officer going over with excessive force and causing his death,” said Trevino, who started a WalkWithUs Movement group on Facebook to work with the police in the protests.

“And that’s ultimately the core problem and what we need to do is come together with our police and say, we don’t have this issue here in Salem, so our police office should not have a problem committing to say, hey, we’re going to go ahead and make a stand ... that we can end that.”

bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com or Twitter.com/bpoehler

Alexis Christensen hugs Lieutenant Treven Upkes during a peaceful rally and march in Salem, Oregon on Monday, June 1, 2020. People gathered to protest the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police officers.

UPDATE 11:02 p.m.

The protest largely broke up by 11 p.m. with a few remaining people taking part in a candlelight vigil on the steps in front of the State Capitol.

There were only minor skirmishes throughout the night, unlike the protests Saturday and Sunday nights when police fired tear gas into crowds.

Organizers called for people in the crowd to come back together at 8 p.m. Tuesday for another peaceful protest.

UPDATE 9:42 p.m.

Marchers have reached the new police headquarters. Along the way, they stopped at the intersection of Liberty and Marion streets and took a knee.

They are about a block away from the actual new police headquarters building, blocked by a construction barricades.

UPDATE 9:10 p.m.

Salem police have blocked Court Street from auto traffic in front of the Capitol. The number of demonstrators has grown to about 500. Lt. Treven Upkes said the 8 p.m. curfew won't be enforced on those who are part of the protest in front of the Capitol.

Protesters have started marching toward the new police headquarters, still under construction at Division and Commercial streets. Police are closing streets as marchers make progress.

UPDATE 8:45 p.m.

After two nights of protests ended in tear gas and arrests, the Salem Police Department made a dramatic statement Monday night on the steps of the Oregon Capitol.

A crowd of demonstrators had swelled to more than 200 people by the time it left the Capitol and marched through downtown, blocking some streets before winding back to the Capitol Mall. Many then took a knee despite the sprinklers spraying many of them.

With the crowd silent, Salem Police Lt. Treven Upkes and Lt. Jason VanMeter walked to the front of the crowd and took a knee in solidarity with the protesters.

Upkes and VanMeter then read a letter to the crowd and talked with demonstrators at length.

“Tonight looked like it was the first opportunity for us to do that,” Upkes said. “Last night, really, there didn’t seem to be someone or a group of people we could actually have a dialogue with. Quite honestly, Saturday night we were caught a little off guard.

“This is a touchstone and a momentous time in history, and we’re going to try to be a part of that, and we got to fix the issues that people are upset about.”

UPDATE 7:30 p.m.

The crowd at the State Capitol has grown to about 150. Many enthusiastic motorists are honking their horns and waving to the crowd as they pass by.

At about 7:30 p.m., the crowd started marching east of the Capitol on Court Street.

UPDATE: 6:15 p.m.

About 50 people gathered in front of the State Capitol by the start of Monday’s 6 p.m. planned third consecutive day of protests over the death of George Floyd.