Mayor Sam Adams tonight sent out an open letter to the Occupy Portland encampment that comes as close as he ever has to setting a deadline for clearing the camps out—urging occupiers to do more, and do it faster, to deal with problems involving violence and drug use and mental illness.

The missive comes days after the mayor sat down for a live interview on the encampment’s livestream—and after tensions erupted during a march last weekend in which police say an officer was pushed in front of a bus. Meanwhile, arrests and sanitation complaints have continued to weigh on Adams as he works to balance health and safety with the rights of protesters to express their freedom of speech.

To the Occupy Portland encampment:

I know that you agree that the growing number of arrests and reports of illicit drug and alcohol use, violent behavior and other criminal conduct must be immediately addressed. I understand that similar challenges have arisen at other Occupy encampments. Uniquely, I appreciate that Occupy Portland, via the website www.occupyportland.com, is one of the few encampments to clearly note these challenges.

Thanks you for meeting with representatives of the police bureau, my staff, non-profit service providers, and me to discuss concerns and potential solutions face-to-face.

The purpose of this open letter is to underscore to all Occupy Portland supporters the urgency of dealing with these issues. The way things are operating now is not sustainable.

I know there is a nationwide Occupy process for working through those things, which I want to give some time to work. But we cannot wait long.

It is imperative that solving these serious problems be a priority for Occupy Portland, before a serious injury or death occurs. I do not want to see something like the following incidents occur in Portland, and I’m sure you do not, either:

In Vancouver, B.C., there has been a death in camp that is a suspected drug overdose; and,

In Washington D.C., protesters have reportedly been the victims of two hit-and-run incidents.

I have said from the beginning that I believe the Occupy movement would have to evolve in order to realize its full potential. Based on my conversations with mayors around the country, I know that Portland is not unique in facing these real issues around camps. But I hope we are unique in our solutions. In Bend, Oregon, Occupy participants have closed their camp, but continue to meet regularly. I believe Occupy Portland can lead the nation in figuring out what the next phase of the Occupy Movement looks like.

We’ve got work to do—and by we, I mean everybody, including all Occupy supporters. I look forward to finding solutions in the coming days.

Sincerely,

Sam Adams
Mayor

Denis C. Theriault is the Portland Mercury's News Editor. He writes stories about City Hall and the Portland Police Bureau, focusing on issues like homelessness, police oversight, insider politics, and...

10 replies on “Mayor Tells Occupy Portland: “The Way Things are Operating Now is not Sustainable.””

  2. There are people willing to hit people with their cars out of spite? You shouldn’t use that as an argument against peaceful protest. Those people should be arrested and shouldn’t be allowed to have a driver’s license.

    I will also say that if your two major supporting examples include the words “suspected” and “reportedly”, respectively, it’s a pretty weak fucking argument.

  4. What a load of shit. Sam Adams – you want people to pack it up? I know you’ve been trying to advance that message through your contacts in the camp. Guess what? You’re going to have to reveal yourself for the thug that you are. You’re going to have to order your lackies to come in with weapons to remove the occupation. It’s not going anywhere. And if you try to shut it down, be prepared for a response. You don’t get to decide what happens here. The 99% do.

    And I’ll add that it’s clear to me that this is just another in a long line of manufactured crisis put forward by the Mayor’s office in order to disrupt the occupation and keep it distracted from growing into a powerful social movement. The problems the occupation faces mirror the problems in society at large and we are working collectively to address them. If the Mayor decides to use force to close the camps, we need everyone who thinks that this movement is too important to give up on to flood the camps and defend them. Don’t let Sam Adams and the 1% decide when it’s time for us to go home. This may be our last opportunity – we won’t let it go without a fight.

  6. Indeed, the problems within Occupy camp mirror those of society. Harder to ignore, though, thank goodness.

    I do though think Adams is sincere and not necessarily trying to undermine our potential. However: know what else sure as shit ain’t sustainable? Politics as usual. Business as usual. Democracy subjugated to the power and whim of the financial sector. If our mayors and governor can begin to seriously address this deep, pervasive corruption within the power structure THEY occupy, we can also get serious about addressing their stated concerns within our new community.

  9. @4, no one has explained to you the idea of a populist movement vs. a fringe movement, have they? The more you make this about confrontation with authorities, the less people like me take you seriously.

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