Mayor Sam Adams wasn’t exaggerating yesterday afternoon when he said he was running out of patience with a handful of Occupy Portlanders’ occupation of SW Main Street. Before the morning commute, before 6AM, the O reports, officers emerged from the Justice Center, made some arrests and reopened the street.
The arrests came after the mayor’s office and police bureau said yesterday they would wait for the Occupy Portland campers to try to settle the issue themselves at last night’s general assembly meeting. But the group could only decide to leave one lane open—an offer Adams previously rejected.
Beginning at 5:53 a.m., dozens of uniformed officers poured into the street from the Justice Center on bicycles, motorcycles and on foot. With speed and efficiency, they removed barricades and protesters’ signs blocking Main Street.
A handful of protesters shouted, “They’re here!” as officers moved in, and then, “Keep the street! Keep the street!”…
For the most part it was a peaceful interaction between protesters and police. Two men who sat in the middle of Third and Main were physically removed by police. Officers made eight
or nine arrestsin all, with protesters facing charges of second-degree disorderly conduct or interfering with police if they didn’t follow orders.
Adams, according to news reports this morning, said he would indefinitely keep open the two park campsites—so long as things remain safe and peaceful. UPDATE 8:30AM: The police bureau has just sent out its statement, after the cut.
Today, Thursday, October 13, 2011, at about 6 a.m., Portland Police reopened Main Street in downtown Portland. Main Street has been closed since last Thursday, October 6, 2011, when Occupy Portland concluded their march and arrived at Chapman Square and Lownsdale Park. Every day, police have been attending all General Assemby meetings and talking with event organizers about the need to reopen the street. While many of the Occupy Portland attendees wanted the police to open the street, ultimately, the group could not reach consensus on the issue.
Today, police have removed the barricades and arrested eight people for Disorderly Conduct and/or Interfering with a Peace Officer-both misdemeanors.
Main Street, which is a major traffic corridor for Portland’s residents, commuters and emergency services, is open and traffic is flowing again. Officers have left the area, as those causing the street closure are in custody. Officers will continue to regularly patrol the encampment as part of the effort to provide public safety resources when needed.
Can’t help but think how an opportunity for some positive spin was lost in all this.
What if the ‘occupy’ had suddenly opened the street at midnight last night, instead of further alienating much of the public and waiting for the cops to do it.
BIG **down-twinkles**
Police yourselves and the cops won’t need to do it for you.
Thanks for getting up early Denis.
KUDOS ON THE GENDARMERIE FOR SHOWING AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF RESTRAINT AND PROFESSIONALISM IN THE FACE OF A VERY SMALL MINORITY OF THE OCCUPIERS WHO REMAINED RESOLUTE IN THEIR DESIRE TO ACT LIKE A BUNCH OF SPOILED-BRATS.
I WONDER HOW MANY OF THE OCCUPIERS ARE SECRETLY THANKFUL THAT THE STATE-SPOSNORED SAFETY ESTABLISHMENT HAVE NEATLY AND CLEANLY REMOVED THE CANCER OF ASSHOLES WHO WON’T LISTEN TO REASON FROM THEIR MIDST? I BET A LOT OF THEM.
I’m afraid they will be back with tales of abuse and martyrdom.
How long are the cops gonna hold them for blocking a street anyway?
The majority has to find a way of controlling their own vocal minority for the sake of the whole.
All news about OWS and Occupy Portland makes me sigh deeply.
Personally I think the few people who wouldn’t leave the street were actually agent provocateurs, if they weren’t then they were agent dumbassess.
“I tried to provoke a confrontation with cops and a confrontation with cops resulted. Can you believe it?! Oh the injustice!”
Traffic flow is the city’s highest priority, but y’all can continue to protest in Portland as long as you don’t inconvenience anyone. At that point, what’s the point?
Take a lesson from Europe, grow some cajones and take the street back.
Yeah, GREAT advice. Way to get the people behind your cause by pissing them off.
Because as we all know, the public sympathises with those who inconvenience them.
I can see why a 99% movement would choose to rule by consensus, but this was set up all wrong. The consensus requirement is a high one and a very small but very vocal minority can disrupt it. There should have been a consensus requirement to occupy the street in the first place, not a consensus requirement to clear it. That was dumb.
Not having been there, my understanding is the majority wanted the street clear but it was an obnoxious few who insisted in continuing to occupy the street. And now this presumably marginal group has made the whole movement look bad.
If any Occupiers are reading this, please get better rules of self-government so you can avoid this in the future. You faced an uphill battle before, now it’s even worse.
Occupy sounds like it was heading into Lord of the Flies direction but the dissidence has cleared for now.
douchebags in jacked-up pickup trucks who think they should be able to drive wherever they want are never going to sympathize.
in any event, the street was reopened by the city because of pressure from downtown businesses like Standard Insurance, whose CEO is most assuredly a 1%er.
Randy – Lumpenproletariat lounging in a chair blocking a city street, looking for a fight, breaking out in tears when they lose their spot, in contradiction to the majority’s wishes are never going to sympathize. Self police or be policed and let the intelligent pragmatic clear minded folks, the ones the “99%” can actually identify with, carry on.