Portland Protests
BY BELLE HU '22
“Feds stay clear! The moms are here!” chanted a crowd of women, linked arm-to-arm, in sunshine yellow graphic t-shirts. Frustrated by the kidnappings and teargas that plagued Black Lives Matter protests, women across all age groups and ethnicities called for peace while handing out sunflowers. What started with a few dozen moms has transformed into a unified movement across several states, though one particular city stands out: Portland.
Despite the Wall of Moms' message for peace, the seemingly perpetual violence in Portland dominates. After six consecutive months of protests and conflict since George Floyd’s brutal death, Portland has yet to resolve its strife. And while the media has shifted its focus to the presidential election, arrests of Portland protesters continue to climb. Thus, when racial injustice protests in other cities has quieted, why has Portland continued to roar?
As a city with a Black population below 6 percent and a long history of racism, it’s no wonder that Portland hasn’t resolved its social tensions. Its original 1859 constitution banned people of color from entering its borders, and other exclusionary laws prohibited Blacks from settling. Political analysts report that Portland, plagued by an underfunded and divided governing body, has struggled to resolve other racial conflicts years before the George Floyd protests. With the weight of its racist past on its shoulders, Portland inevitably imploded from pent-up tensions, even when other states simply moved on.
Since June 2020, most have heard news of the recurring violence in protests, forcing us to consider if this has become the new normal. Whether it is federal agents beating a navy marine, adversaries abducting protesters in unmarked vans, or protesters setting fire to police precincts, the Portland protests routinely devolved to violence. And unfortunately, the media coverage of the violence largely overshadows the positive contributions made by peaceful protesters.
Marked by his vocal support of using tear gas, batons, and unmarked vehicles to discourage protesters, President Donald Trump’s involvement has only fed the frenzy. The portrayal of protesters as country-hating anarchists demonstrates a far greater challenge: deconstructing the narrative of protesters as rioters. Though many focus on the violent protests, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project recorded over 10,600 protests nationwide August 26, approximately 95% of which were peaceful protests.
When protests around the country began to diminish in terms of violence, Portland initially followed suit, especially with the Wall of Moms aiming to shift the protesters’ negative reputation. Even in Portland, the City Council reasonably considered the demands for defunding the police, pushing federal agents out of the city, and increasing civilian oversight of the police; they agreed to cut $15 million from police funding the upcoming year.
While the City Council's agreement initially appears quite successful, in reality, protesters largely fought to deconstruct the broader racist systems solidified in Portland’s history. Further, as the media generally ignored the historical racism and broiling ethnic tensions in Portland, they evidently overlooked the reasonable expectation that Portland’s cumulating issues would result in an uproar. Thus, we must question if the media has hyperinflated Portland’s chaotic narrative, overshadowing all positive efforts.
While the average citizen may primarily focus on the overall violence and the destruction of property, the underrepresentation of peaceful protesters has exaggerated this insidious narrative. The focus on the few damages to businesses has not only created an antipathy towards protesters, but has also been used to justify a whopping 974 criminal cases and 90 arrests. By scapegoating protesters and conceding to the negativity dominating the media, the general public’s ignorance and tendency to associate protesters with violence has only prolonged the fight.
Despite the Wall of Moms' message for peace, the seemingly perpetual violence in Portland dominates. After six consecutive months of protests and conflict since George Floyd’s brutal death, Portland has yet to resolve its strife. And while the media has shifted its focus to the presidential election, arrests of Portland protesters continue to climb. Thus, when racial injustice protests in other cities has quieted, why has Portland continued to roar?
As a city with a Black population below 6 percent and a long history of racism, it’s no wonder that Portland hasn’t resolved its social tensions. Its original 1859 constitution banned people of color from entering its borders, and other exclusionary laws prohibited Blacks from settling. Political analysts report that Portland, plagued by an underfunded and divided governing body, has struggled to resolve other racial conflicts years before the George Floyd protests. With the weight of its racist past on its shoulders, Portland inevitably imploded from pent-up tensions, even when other states simply moved on.
Since June 2020, most have heard news of the recurring violence in protests, forcing us to consider if this has become the new normal. Whether it is federal agents beating a navy marine, adversaries abducting protesters in unmarked vans, or protesters setting fire to police precincts, the Portland protests routinely devolved to violence. And unfortunately, the media coverage of the violence largely overshadows the positive contributions made by peaceful protesters.
Marked by his vocal support of using tear gas, batons, and unmarked vehicles to discourage protesters, President Donald Trump’s involvement has only fed the frenzy. The portrayal of protesters as country-hating anarchists demonstrates a far greater challenge: deconstructing the narrative of protesters as rioters. Though many focus on the violent protests, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project recorded over 10,600 protests nationwide August 26, approximately 95% of which were peaceful protests.
When protests around the country began to diminish in terms of violence, Portland initially followed suit, especially with the Wall of Moms aiming to shift the protesters’ negative reputation. Even in Portland, the City Council reasonably considered the demands for defunding the police, pushing federal agents out of the city, and increasing civilian oversight of the police; they agreed to cut $15 million from police funding the upcoming year.
While the City Council's agreement initially appears quite successful, in reality, protesters largely fought to deconstruct the broader racist systems solidified in Portland’s history. Further, as the media generally ignored the historical racism and broiling ethnic tensions in Portland, they evidently overlooked the reasonable expectation that Portland’s cumulating issues would result in an uproar. Thus, we must question if the media has hyperinflated Portland’s chaotic narrative, overshadowing all positive efforts.
While the average citizen may primarily focus on the overall violence and the destruction of property, the underrepresentation of peaceful protesters has exaggerated this insidious narrative. The focus on the few damages to businesses has not only created an antipathy towards protesters, but has also been used to justify a whopping 974 criminal cases and 90 arrests. By scapegoating protesters and conceding to the negativity dominating the media, the general public’s ignorance and tendency to associate protesters with violence has only prolonged the fight.
