Far left protesters in Portland, Oregon started an Occupy style camp to protest ICE several weeks ago. Locals and people connected to nearby businesses have been complaining ever since. Yesterday, early in the morning, the police cleared the camp.
KGW8 News reports:
Police clear protesters from Occupy ICE PDX camp
Police cleared out the Occupy ICE PDX encampment at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday with an announcement on social media, and at the site via bullhorns, that any remaining protesters must leave.
Officers in riot gear ordered bystanders to move out of the camp.
Those who were still in the camp, less than a dozen people, were told to leave through the north entrance and remain at least a block away. Officers swept through south to north.
“People ask, ‘well, why did it take so long?’ Actually, I think the timing was very good on this. The whole point was to keep the situation contained to make sure it’s deescalated (and) prevent a riot-type scenario,” said Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler.
Police spokesman Sgt. Chris Burley told KGW that police moved “slowly and methodically” through the encampment, with no one injured or arrested…
Chief Danielle Outlaw said the use of a baton by an officer trying to separate people in that incident was the only time a baton was used Wednesday morning. She did not address the actual scuffle…
There were 76 calls for service to the protest area during the occupation and 13 online complaints, centering on the behavior of the protesters and concerns about the conditions at the camp, she said.
Here’s a video:
The protesters initially tried to protect the camp – with a wall. Oh, the irony.
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