If you happen to noticed my picture gallery from Saturday’s “Fingers Off” rally and protest and also you desire a completely different perspective on the occasion, try this video. It’s quick and options scenes of the gang and the march, and is generally accompanied by audio and video from the speech by Portland Metropolis Councilor Angelita Morillo.
*And I have to remind everybody that being featured in a photograph or video on BikePortland doesn’t not equal an endorsement. For some purpose, lots of people assume all the things I share is politically-motivated or reflective of my private beliefs and biases — however that’s not essentially the case! I’m right here to doc what I see and go it alongside to the group. Clearly all the things is biased on a way as a result of I’m a human, but it surely’s exhausting and unfair that some of us are so keen to leap on all the things I put up as being an indication that I imagine x, y, or z.*
As for the occasion itself, it was actually chill. The gang I noticed was peaceable and appeared very excited to lastly have the ability to categorical their views about what’s happening in our nation. There was an enormous turnout of bicycle corkers to assist shield members on the street. I didn’t see any sketchy interactions. In actual fact, at one level I stood subsequent to some Portland Police Bureau bike cops on the Morrison Bridge for a number of minutes. Within the quick time I used to be there, most likely a dozen marchers walked over to the cops and mentioned “Thanks!”. I feel that speaks very broadly to what sort of occasion this was and what sort of oldsters had been there.
I don’t know if organizers obtained a allow or not, but it surely felt well-organized and orderly from what I noticed.
Rob Galanakis was one of many volunteer corkers, and he wrote an electronic mail to Portland Metropolis Council members sharing his view of the occasion. That electronic mail is under:
Hey Chief Day, Mayor Wilson, and Neighborhood and Public Security Committee Members,
My title is Rob Galanakis. I’m a District 3 resident. I’m the Glencoe PTA President, Mt Tabor NA Board Member, PYSA coach, Bike Bus PDX organizer, and candidate for PPS board.
I’ve “corked” (saved marchers protected from motor autos) at dozens of marches and bike rides in Portland over the past 4 years, as I did yesterday on the Fingers Off protest march. I need to clarify I’m/was not a march or corker chief; only a volunteer. And I’m writing you completely in a private capability.
I need to commend PPB for its habits on the march yesterday, particularly the Bike Squad. Police help with corking was seen with skepticism initially, and there was vital antagonism in the direction of police, primarily based on years of hostile or apathetic interactions. Nonetheless, your Bike Squad was not discouraged, and continued to indicate a real intent to collaborate. I by no means sensed vanity or frustration within the dozen or extra interactions I had with officers.
The important thing second got here when PPB adjusted when the marchers’ deliberate to proceed on the Morrison Bridge to Grand Ave, moderately than the Esplanade. This required closing down the I-5 ramp onto Morrison (stranding drivers), and Grand, and Burnside westbound. The police labored to maintain everybody protected and the march, which was far, far too giant to make use of the Esplanade, was in a position to alter its route with out incident.
Corking a dynamic march is completely different from regular police visitors management. All alongside the route, officers by no means interfered with me once I was doing my job. I noticed Bike Squad officers take course from corkers and a TriMet supervisor. There was a facet of humility and collaboration I didn’t anticipate.
There was some sore habits from non-Bike Squad officers, however for probably the most half, PPB and the Bike Squad helped pull off a protected occasion. Belief received’t come after one protest, and there are lots of different considerations with police habits together with in the direction of the councilors on this electronic mail, however I do really feel it’s price calling out successes after they occur.
Thanks,Rob Galanakis
