Portland police officers during the February 20 protest
Portland police officers during the February 20 protest Doug Brown

A day after Portland police forcefully arrested 13 people accused of standing in the street during a protest of President Donald Trump, Mayor Ted Wheeler, the police commissioner, released a statement acknowledging yesterday’s police response was a “mistake.”

Wheeler—who campaigned on a promise to “actively demilitarize the police force“—has overseen a handful of highly-criticized and suppressive police responses in his nearly two months in office, including the January 20 Inauguration Day protest where riot cops set off flash-bang grenades, shot less-lethal rounds, and set off tear gas at nonviolent protesters. Riot cops also showed up for a march and vigil last week for Quanice Hayes, the 17-year-old killed by a PPB earlier this month.

Yesterday saw more riot police downtown, making these arrests of nonviolent protesters:

Here’s what he had to say about Monday’s protest (actual comments addressing yesterday’s protest bolded by the Mercury):

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.

11 replies on “Mayor Ted Wheeler: Monday’s Police Response To Trump Protest a “Mistake””

  1. looks like paint on the old lady’s nose. wouldnt be surprised if she painted it beforehand then tried to get aressted for a photo-op. typical leftist tactics. they are all masochists

  3. No really though; for as much as right-wingers claim First Amendment violations every time someone tells them to shut up on the internet, I think you could actually make a case here that these people were doing nothing more than voicing their political opinions, which are to be sacrosanct from government censorship.
    And…here come’s the government’s representatives, fucking people up for no damn reason. I see a case.

  4. they were blocking traffic. that’s a case right there, and failure to comply with police demands will usually result in arrest. it’s hard for a case to stand up in court when the defendent is clearly guilty of a crime.

  5. The flow of traffic isn’t the most important thing to protect; Portland cops are assholes, and we’ll see if Wheeler can reign them in or not…

  7. if you think portland cops are assholes, then you obviously haven’t spent much time outside of portland. people are provoking police then complaining about how bad the cops are.. seriously, look at what you are doing

  8. Ted, you need to be talking to the DA’s, convincing them to hand out more than a traffic ticket to these people. This small group of cowards has rum amok for too long already. The deterrent should be the court system, not the beating they may or may not get from the police.

  9. All of you republicunt dipshits need to go back to school for remedial social studies and a Constitution Comprehension course.

    How can you call yourselves patriots and Americans when you disparage and malign the god-given RIGHT to protest a criminal and corrupt presidency?

    Seriously. Fuck you mouth breathing pieces of shit. You wouldn’t know truth or liberty if it jammed its fingers in your eye. Fucking ASSHOLES.

  10. In a weirdly roundabout way, OregonJelly’s right: regardless of traffic snarls, there’s very little there for someone to actually call a “crime.” It’s a bunch of “violations,” actually, and basically could be solved by a bunch of traffic tickets.
    Now, as to what Realistically said; yes, I would like to see some cops finally tried in court for abuse of deadly force. Glad you brought it up.

  11. Clearly, Wheeler was saying what he had to get elected. Having failed to gain a seat on the city council of Boston (was it?) he came more prepared to say what he had to in order to get elected. He expressed admiration for Hales during his campaign. And having followed his campaign closely, it seemed he said as little as he could get away with about police reform. Now that he has been elected EVERYTHING he has said and done implies he detests minorities and the only police reform he supports is an increase of use of force. He specifically said “Police had every right to use force on protesters.” And it sounded like he strongly encouraged the use of excessive force by the police as well. Other than encouraging the excessive use of force on protesters, he is quoted as saying that “COAB was unsuccessful in their endeavors to reform police”- which is ridiculous because COAB can only be as unsuccessful as the mayor wants them to be!!! The Mayor and city council has complete control on how powerful or successful COAB can be. Not only is Wheeler encouraging the excessive use of force on protesters, which no doubt influenced the recent legislation bill that would require “college students to be expelled from college if they participate in protests,” Wheeler is trying with much effort and public relations strategy to UNDERMINE COAB . COAB is the group that was required to form by a federal judge because Portland Police were found guilty of beating a bunch of mentally disabled people on a regular basis. COAB is Portland’s court required police reform group.

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