Occupy Portland Tensions Flare: Schrunk Reoccupied; Occupiers Huddle Over Drugs, Safety

• Portland Police Bureau

Nearly a week after close to a dozen protesters were arrested for camping in federally owned Terry Schrunk Plaza, next to the main Occupy Portland camps at Chapman and Lownsdale squares, another group of protesters has moved into the park—but this time locking themselves to a large, metal-and-cement-filled barrel and one another in hopes of making a point about Occupy-related arrests nationwide.

Police issued a statement last night saying that the Federal Protective Service, which has jurisdiction over the plaza, decided not to immediately enforce the park’s 10 PM curfew. A few tents have also cropped up in the park. Like the other Schrunk occupation, the move doesn’t have full General Assembly backing—not that there aren’t sympathizers who might join the cause ahead of tonight.

“People all over America are getting arrested for practicing their rights,” one protester, Bosh Paro, told the Oregonian.

The police statement also includes a snarky jab at the movement’s general assembly meeting—the full text is after the cut—and it was only the first of a handful back-and-forth communiques late last night and early this morning in what points to a re-freezing of relations after a brief detente that included a meeting with Chief Mike Reese and Saturday morning’s routine, peaceful bank protests.

In one statement, police reported broken windows and vandalism at two Northeast bank branches and said that a splinter Occupy group calling itself the “Real Occupy Portland” had taken responsibility. That was right before the Schrunk reoccupation was announced. Then, hours later, Julio Granda, who only on Thursday sent out a release announcing the existence of the “Real Occupy Portland,” sent out another statement saying that was false. And finally, just before 4 this morning, Occupy’s press and media team announced a non-General Assembly summit on safety, drugs, law enforcement, and social issues that have been bedeviling the camp.

At the meeting it was decided that in order to address the situation some kind of action had to be taken. Ideas that were discussed included obtaining a permit for the space to allow exclusion of dangerous or unsafe elements, involving the police immediately to address situations as they arise, and even stopping services that the camp provides to those who do not involve themselves in the process or the movement.

While the group that met felt that some of these actions, such as obtaining a permit, could not be taken without a larger discussion among the occupiers, other actions, such as limiting services and police involvement, seemed more feasible.

Many of these problems have been brought as concerns by others, including the City and the Portland Police, but previously Occupy Portland has attempted to solve these through dialogue and outreach. The meeting was called because it was felt that those options had been exhausted and the problems not solved.

Hit the jump to read each dispatch in full.

The two police statements:

On Saturday November 5, 2011, at 8:34 a.m., Portland Police officers assigned to North Precinct responded to the Chase Bank branch, located at 4333 Northeast Sandy Boulevard, on the report of vandalism. Officers arrived and learned that sometime overnight, windows to the bank were broken and paint was thrown inside the location.

At 10:26 a.m., officers responded to the Wells Fargo Bank branch, located at 4233 Northeast Sandy Boulevard, on the report of several windows broken out.

No arrests and no suspect information was developed at the time but this evening an email was forwarded to the Portland Police Bureau from “The Real Occupy Portland” claiming responsibility for the vandalism.

The investigations into both vandalism cases are ongoing.

—-

This evening, Saturday November 5, 2011, five protesters from Occupy Portland handcuffed and bike locked themselves together to a barrel at Terry Schrunk Plaza and have stated they will remain in the park.

Two males have handcuffed themselves to re-bar inside of a 50 gallon barrel filled with hardened cement and various metal fragments. Two other males and a female have used U-shaped bike locks to attach themselves together by the ankle to one of the males attached to the cement drum.

Terry Schrunk Plaza is under Federal jurisdiction and at this time, the Federal Protective Service is choosing not to take enforcement action against the 5 people.

The Occupy Portland General Assembly approved a declaration of “non-violence” toward people, however they rejected the “non-violence” proposal toward property, they rejected a proposal to abide by park rules, and they rejected a proposal to give police information prior to protesting.

Here’s the denial by the “Real Occupy Portland”:

Portland Police Bureau:

This press release is in regards to an incident that has been widely reported in the media this evening.
According to several news reports, two banks in Northeast Portland were vandalized, and a group claiming to be “The Real Occupy Portland” is claiming responsibility. According to reports, this claim of responsibility came from an anonymous e-mail address.

“The Real Occupy Portland” is a non-profit that was established 5 days ago. We are currently not affiliated with any other group in the city, and are still in the process of organizing the structure. The purpose of our organization is to support the non-violent Occupy Movement across the country.

“The Real Occupy Portland” is not connected with these acts of violence and does not condone any vandalism or violence.

Sincerely, 

The Real Occupy Portland and the 99%

And the 5:19 AM dispatch from Occupy media volunteers on the safety summit meeting:

PORTLAND, ORE. — Late Saturday night and early into Sunday morning, an emergency Occupy Portland meeting composed of concerned individuals, including people from several committees, was held to discuss what many volunteers felt was becoming a growing problem. They discussed, at length, the issues surrounding illicit drug use, violent behavior, and otherwise disruptive conduct that was being exhibited by some of the people camping at Chapman and Lownsdale Squares.

Many of the occupiers present at the meeting expressed exasperation and frustration at what they felt was a dangerous distraction being perpetuated by people who use the area as a “free drug space.” In an ongoing survey of occupiers there has been an almost universal consensus that safety and violence are primary concerns.

At the meeting it was decided that in order to address the situation some kind of action had to be taken. Ideas that were discussed included obtaining a permit for the space to allow exclusion of dangerous or unsafe elements, involving the police immediately to address situations as they arise, and even stopping services that the camp provides to those who do not involve themselves in the process or the movement.

While the group that met felt that some of these actions, such as obtaining a permit, could not be taken without a larger discussion among the occupiers, other actions, such as limiting services and police involvement, seemed more feasible.

Many of these problems have been brought as concerns by others, including the City and the Portland Police, but previously Occupy Portland has attempted to solve these through dialogue and outreach. The meeting was called because it was felt that those options had been exhausted and the problems not solved.

“As part of the 99% it is our duty to listen to all those who we try to reflect,” Patrick Dougherty said as a camper at Occupy Portland. “Their concerns have been clear. People say they support the movement, but they preface it with concerns about some of the people who use the camp instead of working with the camp. And frankly, these things concern many of us too.”

Occupy Portland didn’t create these problems however it has become a space for some of them, and it distracts from the message of the movement and the effort of our volunteers. Occupy Portland will never support dangerous, violent or destructive behavior, as restated by the General Assembly on Saturday, and volunteers will be meeting Sunday afternoon to discuss further steps to take, including coordination with the City and the Portland Police to address these issues.

While Occupy Portland is open to anyone, and we do not wish to exclude people, behavior which is destructive to the community should not be tolerated or allowed. We do not wish to be an impediment to the efforts of social workers and public safety officials who exist to address these issues.

Those who met planned to work with the Portland Police, established drug treatment programs, and other civil services to eliminate these problems from the space. It is important that any movement which tries to address society’s concerns is welcoming to the people of the city, and we will immediately work to eradicate the aspects of the camp which abuse our goodwill and inclusiveness at the expense of the people’s voice.

Occupy Portland was formed out of a popular sentiment that systemic problems within society were preventing the 99% from having a voice in our government, in our economy, and in our lives. We continue to focus our efforts on these things, and in creating a space for the people, we must remove the elements which are a danger to themselves and others.