We denounce the irresponsible statements of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler

On April 22nd, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler made a dangerous call to action to turn community members into vigilantes to defend property and ‘take back our city’. Immediately, Donald Trump’s call to patriot viligantes to defend their cities across the nation came to mind. Kyle Rittenhouse, Dylann Roof and so many other privileged white supremacists that have used violence to reclaim their heritage, confidence and values. 

In Oregon, the rhetoric used against protestors and community organizers showing up against police brutality has been eerily similar to the views expressed by these killers.

The law and order directives perpetrated by Donald Trump are making a comeback in the form of Ted Wheeler’s instructions to target ‘anarchist protestors’. This urging to police your neighbors does not come from a place of commitment to our city, rather it is another brutal tactic of state sanctioned violence.

This past summer thousands of people were harmed by the actions of mayor Ted Wheeler and his lack of leadership. The lack of effort and engagement on issues of race and equity are further complicated by his use of force as police commissioner. Wheeler speaks repeatedly of ‘self described anarchists wanting to burn and bash’ and how ‘these people don’t want Portland to open back up’. His officers just shot and killed a man in our community last week - His name was Robert Delgado. Where was the call to action for his life that was stolen by the city of Portland, or the countless others who have been murdered and without justice in the last year alone? This ongoing terror has caused irreparable health and safety issues for so many vulnerable people.

In a state that was founded on exclusionary laws as a white utopia, there are generations of white supremacy at the very core of Portland culture. Yet you are enacting these calls of violence to the descendents of those families.

Portland, Oregon has its own share of Kyle Rittenhouses and Dylann Roofs who are waiting for this call from a higher authority. In a city that already harasses and racially profiles its minority communities, Ted Wheeler has exacerbated this with the explicit statements made at his recent press conference. 

Please review some of the statements made:

“Self described anarchists, who engage in regular criminal destruction, don’t want things to open up, to recover. They want to prevent us from doing the work of making Portland a better place for everyone.”

“These self described anarchists want to burn, they want to bash...they want to intimidate. They want to assault.”

“These people often show up in cars. And they’re all dressed in all black. If you see this, call the police.”

“I am asking for your help to make this stand and take our city back.”

“If you can provide a license plate, take a photo or film them. Call them out.”

Demand that the Governor step in. Demand that responsible leaders speak up against this blatant disregard for the people of Portland. When Wheeler attempts to put communities against one another, his actions are vile, corrupt and indignant at a time that we’re all witnessing social change in America. Speak up and speak out.
 

If you are harmed, targeted or harassed for wearing all black, please contact us directly for legal advocacy and support.