In July, we found out that you can’t “steal” Pioneer Square’s electricity. Now, it turns out that you can’t hand out Obama badges and leaflets there, either. So much for it being Portland’s “living room,” I guess.
RENT-A-COP WITH OBAMA CAMPAIGNER AFTER MOVING HIM OFF THE SQUARE…
Officer Byrd, who looks like a cop, and could work for Portland Patrol, Inc, or Pacific Patrol Inc, or Portland Patrol Services Inc (they all look so similar to me, it’s impossible to tell the difference) asked Obama campaigner Darin Richey to move his table of Obama badges off the Max platform on the North Side of the square at 10:15 this morning. Richey decided to set up across the street instead.
“He asked me to move,” said Richey. “I was a little disheartened, to be honest. It was a high traffic spot and I thought I’d be able to talk to a lot of people over there.”
“I’m 43 years old,” Richey continued. “I’m only out here because this is the first time I’ve ever been interested in politics. Obama and Biden, they seem like good hearted people, and that’s why I’m out here working.”
Richey was spotted being moved by Dale Hardway of the Civic Action Group from Sisters of the Road. “He wasn’t blocking the sidewalk,” says Hardway. “People had plenty of room to get past, and I notice that there’s an SUV parked on the square advertising 94/7, and a bunch of other stuff blocking people’s way.”
Richey asked, “isn’t this public property?”
No. Sadly not.
Officer Byrd denied retaliating against Richey because of the content of his speech.
“As far as I know, it’s fine, it’s just the legs on the table that he can’t have on the square,” he said.
I suppose they’re gonna trot out the “it’ll damage the brickwork” bullshit excuse again. SIGH.
Fuck you, portland business alliance.
I await the day when an elderly or disabled campaigner (perhaps handing out leaflets for AARP), who requires a table because he/she can’t hold up a tray of literature all day, is ejected for having a small table.
“Don’t let anything touch the ground other than your shoe” (which is basically the official but unwritten policy of the square) presents serious barriers to legitimate public protest and advocacy for those who are not completely physically fit. Did you know that protesters carrying a simple sign on a stick aren’t allowed to rest that sign on the ground, even for a second?
(And yes, I have a dog in this fight, see the Great Pioneer Courthouse Square Monopod Saga from April.)
This is ridiculous.
This is up there with my husband and I being told by a rent-a-cop we couldn’t sit on the base of the columns in the Square, because “it’s a monument.” That sure is crappy planning when your “monument” has a base that is the exact height for comfortable seating, and sure as heck looks as though the designer may have actually, oh I don’t know, designed them so that the citizens of Portland could sit on them.
Where does it end, people?
That’s across the street from the Square.
So he moved across the street to the Square?
And just when I thought Matt couldn’t find a new LEO bashing non-story.
I was selling ice cream by tricycle on the sidewalk next to the square awhile ago when the teenaged employee of another ice cream stand told me I was not allowed on the square. I went across the street and sold some popsicles to the girls campaigning for GreenPeace, and they said they weren’t allowed on the square either. Isn’t it city property?? Why are there so many weird rules about who is allowed to be there? And why are the sidewalks on the perimeter part of the rules, too?
Friend Matthew:
Again the refrain: The owners of the mayor and city council don’t like certain things, the common man being chief amongst the things they passionately dislike. If they were to get there way, all petitioners, peddlars, pimps and prostitutes would be pushed at least out into the neighborhoods, preferrably into the slums of the future, Beaverton and Gresham, as Portland continues to gentrify.
The PBA is essentially a front for the people who actually own Portland in fee simple. Get in their way, and they’ll run you out of town, too.
NOTE: At one time, there was a wall covered with people who are non grata in Portland at Central Precinct based on nominations from the Arlington Club. Sound familiar? It should. It hasn’t changed in over 100 years since Republican political boss J. Bourne ran the city, and, by the way, founded the Arlington Club to house his activities.
So, it’s same song, second verse. Get used to it. It won’t change.
I remain your humble servant,
Jacomus
Bob R: The rule is very much a written one. Like it or not, a table is a structure.
Nickey: There are no “sidewalks” around the Square. The park property extends to the edge of the curb.
20.12.080 Structures in Parks.
Except as permitted under Section 20.08.010 B and/or under Section 20.08.070, no person shall excavate for, erect, install or place, or do any act as part of or commencement of excavation, erection, installation or placement of any permanent or temporary structure or facility in or on any Park. This Section does not prohibit the mere carrying of any item in or through a Park, nor does it prohibit the use or placement of personal accessories, such as purses, backpacks or bags, or the use or placement of wheelchairs, walkers or baby carriages or child strollers in any Park, except in areas where those items are prohibited by the Director.
20.12.230 Pioneer Courthouse Square.
A. In addition to the other provisions of this Chapter, the provisions of this Section apply in Pioneer Courthouse Square. “Pioneer Courthouse Square” means the city block bounded on the north by the south curb of Southwest Morrison Street, on the south by the north curb of Southwest Yamhill Street, on the east by the west curb of Southwest Sixth Avenue, and on the west by the east curb of SW Broadway. It specifically includes the entire area of that block and all improvements thereon, including all pedestrian walkways and transportation shelters and facilities.
However, from what I have see at the Square, it does not prohibit the parking of busses, vans, trucks, and cars. It also does not prohibit the commercial use of tents by the likes of AT&T, Verizon and other commercial entities. So much for Portland’s living room. No mompods, tripods oor political tables, but bicycles, skateboards and religious lit o.k.