Boots on the ground report: Occupy Portland on eviction night.

[Rabblevox]

A very strange, almost carnival atmosphere. The city has set up dozens of floodlights around the two parks, and there are at least 200 police on site, many in full riot gear. Most on the perimeter, but many groups of 5-6 officers standing inside the parks. So far, they are being relaxed and civil, but it's obvious they mean to end the Occupation here tonight.

In the two camps, almost all of the "official" tents (like media, medical, info) are already down, and about half the others. Still probably 200 tents up. At least 500, maybe 1000 people here, most relaxed, but a hard core group of about 50-100 that seem intent on provoking a confrontation.

The deadline is midnight, my guess is that they will start "soft" with the people who want to be arrested to make a point, but intend no violence, then about 3 am start getting nasty with the resisters.

An interesting tidbit is that Chief of Police Reese is the front-runner to be our next mayor, and he is going to be thinking primarily about his image tonight. (I think he's going to go for the "tough but fair" vibe.)

Here's how one local paper saw it:

In the last hours before Occupy Portland faces eviction from two downtown city parks at midnight tonight, a throng of about 200 people gathered to march from Pioneer Square to the camp, with their picket signs wrapped in Saran Wrap to protect them from the rain. Part of the march stopped in front of the Hilton hotel to chant, "Stop shopping, start thinking!" while a cheer of, "The people! United! Will never be divided!" continued nonstop, punctuated by an occasional, "Long live the Portland Occupation!" and a hearty "Fuck the police!"

In a dramatic note, a guy with an electric guitar is playing, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home."

"Many of the marchers I spoke to, older folks, parents, said they wanted to stay past midnight," reports News Editor Denis Theriault from the scene. "Arrests are another matter."

A guy who sounds STARTLINGLY LIKE the Mountain Goats welcomed the marchers to camp with an acoustic set of Occupy songs. Sample lyrics: "Because these moments don't come often, because we want to be free, because we know what matters. Something called society. : We're not going anywhere."

What everyone is wondering is whether the eviction will be violent. "Chief of Police Mike Reese asks two campers if they are packing up," tweeted cartoon journalist Matt Bors from the scene. The pair replied: "No. Don't be violent toward us." Earlier today, a collection of over 40 local unions, churches, community groups, and nonprofits signed on to an open letter (pdf) calling on the city to rethink the eviction. Instead, the groups say the city should work with Occupy to address the safety and sanitation problems at the camp.

More:
http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2011/11/12/occupy-portland-marches-through-downtown

I'll post more as I learn it. Spare a good thought for Occupy Portland tonight, please.

Official site:
http://occupyportland.org/

Livestream (sometimes):
http://occupyportland.org/livestreammedia/

Live blogging:
http://www.portlandoccupier.org/

[Rabblevox]

1. Jobs For Justice has just showed up with about 50 people, the GA is starting, & being livestreamed

http://occupyportland.org/livestreammedia/

There's now at least 1000 people here, maybe a lot more than that, and more are pouring in. Police still relaxed (lots of news crews around, ya know?)

[Zorra]

2. Thanks. Please keep us posted.

Wish I could be there.
:hi:

[Fire Walk With Me]

3. Thanks for the heads-up, carry the thread!

[Rabblevox]

4. Breaking: Emergency GA noon Pioneer Square tomorrow.

If you live in or near Portland, try to be there for the emergency GA to debate the future of the Occupation post-eviction.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

5. Solidarity kick.

[Fire Walk With Me]

6. We put the City on notice that we will not tolerate violence in any form against peaceful protestors

Contact: Kari Koch, 580-716-4729, [e-mail]

For immediate release, Nov 12, 2011

COMMUNITY LEADERS URGE NO VIOLENCE
AGAINST OCCUPY PORTLAND

Groups ask for alternatives to forcible removal

Open letter to the City:

We support the Occupy Wall Street movement in Portland and around the world. It is a commendable and muchneeded
response to the corporate greed and government corruption that negatively affects so many people in our
communities and beyond.

As organizations advocating for economic and social justice, we owe the men, women and youth of this movement a
great deal of gratitude for the tremendous shift they have created in the national debate. After years of effort, the
nation is finally beginning to consider the root causes of the nation's economic woes rather than seek out scapegoats.
This positive momentum must be continued.

Obviously, the movement's successes have made it a target for those who prefer the status quo. We acknowledge that
the Occupy Portland encampment is not without problems. That said, it would be wrong to suggest that the
homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse and violence so often highlighted by the corporate media and certain
public officials was created by the encampment. Putting the many hardships associated with poverty on public
display should be a step towards addressing them, not an excuse for political repression. Volunteers within Occupy
Portland have done an amazing job trying to address these issues and they deserve far more help and credit than has
been given them thus far.

We urge the City to reconsider plans to forcibly remove demonstrators from Lownsdale and Chapman Squares, and to
instead work with Occupy Portland to address whatever legitimate concerns exist regarding health and public safety.
There is no shortage of peaceable and respectful actions the City could take to achieve those goals, while also
protecting demonstrators' First Amendment rights.

We put the City on notice that we will not tolerate violence in any form against peaceful protestors.

In Solidarity,

Alliance for Democracy
Association of Western Pulp & Paper Workers
Cross Trade Solidarity
East Timor Action Network – Portland
Global Justice for Animals and the Environment –
Portland
Jewish Voice for Peace - Portland Chapter
Jobs with Justice
No War Drum Corps
Oregon Fair Trade Campaign
Oregon New Sanctuary Movement
Portland Area Rethinking Schools
Portland Peaceful Response Coalition
Real Wealth of Portland
UNITE HERE Local 9
Heather Conroy, Executive Director, SEIU 503 *
Richard Sanders, Executive Director, Oregon Education
Association *
Linda J. Burgin, President, SEIU 503, OPEU *
Marcy Westerling, founder, Rural Organizing Project *
Kelly Campbell, Executive Director, Oregon Physicians
for Social Responsibility *
Abigail Singer, Rising Tide *
Adam Carpinelli, Oregon Jericho *
Allah Parks, Indasia Summerfield, Jessica Valdefira,
Hayley Bauske, Scott Nugyen, youth program of
American Friends Service Committee *
Allen Hines, Civilian Soldier Alliance *
Barbara Dudley, Working Families Party *
Bruce Dennis, Carpenters Union 15-6 *
Bruce Fife, Musicians Union *
Christopher Beck, Vice President, OSEA Chapter 40 *
Craig Henneke, Chair, Portland Central America
Solidarity Committee *
Curtis Bell Ph.D., Peace Action Committee First
Unitarian Church *
David e. Delk, President, Alliance for Democracy *
David Osborn, member, American Federation of
Teachers, Oregon Local 3571 *
Eryn Slack, UNITE HERE Local 9
J. Linda Peterson, President, AFSCME Local 3214 *
Jamie Partridge, Delegate, Northwest Oregon Labor
Council, AFL-CIO & National Association of
Letter Carriers, Branch 82 *
Jeanne Carpenter, Retiree Member CWA Local 7901 *
Jillian Balderson, Students for Unity, Portland State
University *
Kari Koch, President, Oregon Fair Trade Campaign
Karly Edwards, UNITE HERE Local 9
Maureen Crawford, member SEIU 503 *
Megan Hise, co-founder, Climate Justice Portland *
Mireaya Medina, AmericanFriendsServiceCommittee *
Norm Diamond, Pacific Northwest Labor History
Association *
Paul Cone, Treasurer, COPPEA *
Peter Parks, Jobs with Justice &, retired, International
Longshore Worker Union, Local 8*
Ray Kenny, member LU48 IBEW *
Stuart Fishman, member, United Food & Commercial
Workers Local 555 *
Wesley Buchholz, Laborers Local 483 *
Bill Bigelow
Lise Brown
Jake Dacks
Leonard Fearn
Jan Haaken, Clinical psychologist, documentary
filmmaker, and professor emeritus of psychology
Richard and Erin Heymann
Michael Horner
Rev. Lynne Smouse Lopez
Ellen McKeever
Bonnie McKinlay
Brenda Medina
Michael Medina
Joan Nugent
Bill Resnick
Mary VanZant
Dana H Welty, RN
Mary Winzig
* titles & organizations are for identification
purposes only

http://occupyportland.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Comm-Leaders-say-no-to-violence-.pdf

[Earth_First]

7. Contact info:

Sam Adams, Mayor
City Hall @ 1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 340, 97204
Phone: [phone]

Police Bureau
1111 SW 2nd Avenue, 97204
Non-Emergency Phone: [phone]

PLEASE, if you are at an Occupation tonight, spread these numbers around and encourage others to call these numbers to issue your own disapproval of clear violations of free speech and your SUPPORT of what OccupyOakland is doing by standing with OWS.

Feel free to distribute these numbers to social media outlets, let's FLOOD the City of Portland with calls of SHAME and SUPPORT for our brothers and sisters in SOLIDARITY!!!

[Fire Walk With Me]

10. Mayor's email:

[e-mail]

[Rabblevox]

8. Well over 2000 here now. The vibe and positive energy are astounding. My lappy is dying...

next update when I can. I just heard a (I think) reliable statement that there are only about 200 open spots county-wide in the jails, and about 2000 here that look willing to risk arrest. That makes for interesting math.

[tavalon]

9. That is magnificent!

[Earth_First]

11. Be safe tonight!

Solidarity from OccupyRochester encampment!

[grasswire]

12. any clergy there tonight?

Dr. Marilyn Sewell, retired minister of First Unitarian Church, has a history of participation in protests. Rev. Kate Lore is the chair of the justice committee of that church. I suggest getting in touch with someone there if you need clergy tonight.

[Rabblevox]

13. Kate Lore and Chuck Currie are supposed to be here tonight. I haven't seen them, but it's crowded..

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/11/religious_leaders_announce_pla.html

There is definitely going to be interfaith witness here tonight.

A coalition of religious leaders announced plans this afternoon to spend all night Saturday into Sunday to "bear witness" to the planned police eviction of Occupy Portland campers in downtown parks.

"We need to make sure what happened in Oakland does not happen in Portland," said the Rev. Chuck Currie, of the United Church of Christ, in Portland, at a news conference outside City Hall.

Demonstrators and police clashed in Oakland, Calif., last week, leaving the city with shattered windows and fires in the streets. Protesters at other demonstrations across the nation condemned the violence.

As many as 20 interfaith leaders plan to be on hand to observe the planned eviction of Portland's occupiers, which city officials set for 12:01 a.m. Sunday, according to Currie, who described the occupation movement as "the kind of protest that Martin Luther King would be proud of."

[tavalon]

14. There were 10,000 people last night. That's not crowded,

that's awesome! Unless you were in the front of the crowd, last night wasn't your night to be arrested.

Thanks to all of the Occupiers for bringing my political heart back. In solidarity!