Re: Portland insurrectionist leaders reaffirm city's sanctuary city status ahead of 'No Kings' rallies

"Leroy N. Soetoro" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]: 

> https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/portland-leaders-
> reaffirm-sanctuary-status-encourage-peaceful-protest/283-5eecfc0d-02fa-
> 4d87-9313-c593cc39f357
> 
> PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and Police Chief Bob Day
> — along with other city and county leaders — came together on Friday
> to express their support for the local immigrant community while
> reaffirming Portland's sanctuary status. 
> 
> They also encouraged unity and urged peaceful protest this weekend, as
> multiple "No Kings" anti-Trump rallies are planned to be held across
> the Portland metro area and the nation. The "No Kings" rallies
> coincide with President Donald Trump's birthday and his requested
> military parade in D.C.
> 
> The news conference and rallies come amid recent arrests in which at
> least four asylum seekers were detained outside Portland Immigration
> Court. The arrests are part of ongoing federal immigration enforcement
> raids happening across the U.S. as Trump follows through with his
> promise of mass deportations.
> 
> Protests continued Friday morning outside the U.S. Immigration and
> Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in downtown Portland, where Briana
> Nathanielsz said, "I've been here a couple days now, and we will be
> here all weekend." 
> 
> Nathanielsz's friend's dad was detained in Newberg this week. 
> 
> "Yesterday, Elandra came out from ICE building, crying," she said. "We
> all hugged her here — very peaceful protest — and her dad was taken in
> Newberg on his way to work. He just opened a vineyard, his own
> business this year." 
> 
> 'SCARED AND FRUSTRATED': Arrest of 2 men in Newberg sparks fear,
> anxiety in Newberg community
> 
> Nathanielsz said her friend's dad was taken to the ICE facility in
> Tacoma, Wash. 
> 
> "Ruining families unnecessarily... he was a dad. It's sick. It's
> awful," she said. 
> 
> Across the city, local officials condemned these federal efforts. 
> 
> "Right now, communities in this country and across Multnomah County
> are under direct attack from a federal administration that is hostile
> to the values that we hold dear," said Multnomah County Chair Jessica
> Vega Pederson. 
> 
> "This is not a theoretical harm. This is a harm happening right here, 
> right now, to families in our community, and it is not acceptable,"
> added Portland City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney. 
> 
> "As a proud sanctuary city in a sanctuary state, we are committed to 
> protecting the rights and dignity of those who live here, working
> together to strengthen our community," Wilson said during the press
> conference. "We remain in constant dialogue with Gov. Tina Kotek and
> Attorney General Dan Rayfield, carefully monitoring national events
> and accessing their impact on Portland."
> 
> Wilson said that the city of Portland will not obstruct federal law-
> enforcement operations.
> 
> "At the same time, the Portland Police Bureau exists to serve and
> protect our community," Wilson said. "Our officers will not be used as
> agents of ICE."
> 
> Portland Police Chief Bob Day said he's commonly asked why police
> officers are at protests.
> 
> "We are not at these events to arrest people," Day said. "We are not
> at these events to try and agitate. We're not at these events to
> inflame. We're at these events for prevention and for service for all
> of Portlanders."
> 
> Watch the full news conference below:
> 
> 
> Kotek shared a statement Friday afternoon.
> 
> "I support Oregonians' right to peacefully demonstrate — it is a 
> cornerstone of American democracy. Please know I will do everything in
> our power to protect the rights and safety of our residents —
> including the rights and safety of our immigrant communities," Kotek
> said. "Violence, harm to public safety workers, destruction of
> property, or any illegal activity whatsoever will not be tolerated.
> State and local law enforcement have my full support to hold
> individuals who cross these lines accountable."
> 
> Kotek went on to say that she believes these types of acts "undermine
> the very values we are striving to uphold in Oregon and fracture our 
> communities in the process. We are asking all Oregonians to remain
> safe, vigilant and to report any criminal activity."
> 
> Though city and state officials stressed the right to free speech and 
> defending the community, they also reiterated that "violence,
> destruction and obstruction carry consequences," Wilson warned. 
> 
> This week, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem declared
> that those "purposely endangering our ICE agents and our
> law-enforcement officers and their families will be prosecuted for
> what they are doing as far as perpetuating violence on them." 
> 
> This comes after 10 were arrested Thursday night outside the Portland
> ICE building for arson and disorderly conduct, among other offenses.
> Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez confirmed that they
> will be prosecuted. 
> 
> "If you assault someone, if you burn things, if you decide to break 
> things, you're going to deal with me," he said. 
> 
> But many residents, like Nathanielsz, said they intend to only
> "peacefully show up and protest against these mass deportations." 
> 
> 

A lot of these protests are completely peaceful until the cops start a 
riot.