I have no photos, no titillating videos, no baiting for pie fights, no sensational stories to share, no posturing for mojo, no arguments to make. I just have a call for help. I hope that is enough.
I am heading back down to downtown Portland for the march at 3 PM, and thus lack time to edit and present these facts in great detail, but I'd promised the homeless occupiers to post this, and so here it is:
Last night from 10:00 PM to Midnight, a candlelight vigil was held in front of Portland City Hall to commemorate the eviction of Occupy Portland from the parks, in which riot police raided the park, and forcibly and violently drove the occupiers out into the streets. Some of these occupiers became homeless, and have been increasingly harassed by police.
Since the eviction, the police have been pursuing the homeless occupiers, preventing them from getting sleep. The homeless people are desperately in need socks and jackets, and other items that were lost. Read below for details.
As the organizer of the event put it, paraphrasing,
The people who lived in the park were in the rain and cold for weeks. We are standing out here in the cold for two hours, to feel just a fraction of the exposure to weather they have endured, and continue to endure, for our movement. Exactly one week ago today the park was evicted. We will have a moment of silence at midnight to honor our brothers and sisters who now are homeless, and harassed by police.
Ironically, the towering regional headquarters of Wells Fargo is situated next to city hall where the vigil was held, making the building look tiny by comparison. The late night fog and mist swirled around the upper stories of the immense skyscraper, looking surreal and ominous, drawing the attention and commentary of the crowd. The bank clearly serves as a symbol of Wall Street to the people gathered last night.
And if you can, come to the Portland March today at 3:00 PM. Support us with your presence. More below:
Immediate Help Needed: homeless occupiers harassed by Portland police need jackets, sleeping bags, socks, shoes, tents, gloves, other items for staying warm.
Since the day the Portland Occupy movement was forcibly and violently evicted from the parks a week ago Sunday, many of the occupiers had no alternative but to turn to the streets to seek what shelter they could find.
When the riot police came into the park, the belongings of the occupiers was confiscated and treated as garbage, taken away to city dumps. This includes tents, clothing, shoes, socks, sleeping bags, backpacks, jackets. I saw this occur with my own eyes, since I was there in the park that day.
Many of the now homeless occupiers who are on the streets have been pursued and harassed by police. The police recognize their faces from familiarity gained from weeks of occupation, and have been tracking the whereabouts of the homeless occupiers, and repeatedly harassing them, waking them throughout the night to prevent them from getting needed sleep. This harassment is far beyond typical treatment of the homeless. They are being harassed because they are associated with the Occupy movement.
This is the real face of the police: Kicking homeless, hungry, wet and freezing people when they're at the lowest ebb. Heartwarming. Meanwhile, the Portland police spin their violent behavior with angelic descriptions to the Portland media.
In at least one or two instances, the police have actually gone to homes that were offered to the homeless occupiers to harass the homeowners. I kid you not. (People have volunteered their backyards for the occupiers to camp for a night or two).
How this is known: I have been in direct contact with the individuals who are homeless and harassed. I have had extensive conversations with them regarding this issue. They are part of our movement. They attend Portland Occupy meetings. Several have come forward at our meetings to provide information regarding the mistreatment. This has not been reported by the media, which tends to support the police version of events.
These people are in immediate need of these items to stay warm.
I asked them for a list at a recent GA:
•Jackets
•Socks (this is a big deal, socks get wet, and it becomes impossible to stay warm)
•Shoes
•Sleeping bags
•Tents
•Backpacks
•Gloves
Bring these items to a Portland GA, and ask a facilitator to direct you to the proper person to collect the items.
Please make sure the items get into the appropriate hands. You may send me a personal message if you would like for more information.
Meanwhile, Occupy Portland continues, as strong as ever.
We're meeting, having GA's and Spokes Council meetings. We're planning events.
A big march is planned for today, at 3 PM under Burnside Bridge (Where the Saturday Market is held).
Sunday, Nov. 20th, 2011 3PM Rally and March
Meet at Ankeny Plaza at 3PM, march starts at 3:45, Meet the Occupation at Salmon Springs Fountain at 5PM.
Occupy Portland Committees will be set up. It’s a chance for the community to plug into how they can help and it gives a chance for committees show off the hard work they’ve done. Afterwards, when you return to your community, you can discuss how to best work together to empower your community in painting a brighter path forward.