On Thursday, thousands of Portlanders marched through downtown and congregated in Pioneer Square—Portland’s answer to the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York, which is spreading nationwide. Nearly 70 hours later, the occupation of downtown’s Chapman Square was complete, and by Sunday morning the park had become, in a way, a functioning society unto itself.
In addition to the hundreds of tents decorated with protest signs, the occupiers have designated areas within the park to provide information, food, first-aid and sanitation. Supplies are donated by the occupiers as well as non-participating Portland residents—batteries for flashlights, water, energy bars, office supplies and canned foods were seen being carried into the park by volunteers throughout the day.
Some observers were overheard commenting that Portland’s occupation might be the largest in the country, besides New York’s.
For the uninitiated, the Occupy Portland march officially took place last Thursday. At noon on Oct. 6, hundreds of people with picket signs gathered at Tom McCall Waterfront Park for the General Assembly—the official people’s forum where issues and a consensus are formalized—and shortly thereafter left the waterfront in an organized and highly spirited march toward downtown.
The group favored a “call-back” routine over a professional PA system during meetings, in which the crowd repeats out loud what the speaker said so that those in the back could hear.
“It’s been a long time since Americans have been this pissed off,” one speaker said at the assembly. “With this many people, we can do great things.”
“I’m an Iraqi veteran,” said another speaker. “I lost five friends and one of my friends [lost] an arm. I did not have a voice; you guys are my voice.”
Portland State student Owen Wise was among the estimated 6,000 people at the protest on Thursday afternoon. The 21-year-old community development major said he first became interested in the movement a month ago, when his friends participated in Occupy Wall Street.
“This is not a partisan movement,” Wise said. “We don’t have a list of demands, and we all have different opinions, but that’s okay.” Wise volunteered for Occupy Portland by passing out flyers.
The group’s message is as diverse as its demographic: If their signs were any indication, the list of complaints runs the gamut from corporate personhood to bank bailouts to joblessness to Israel apartheid. There were young and old demonstrators, and men in suits as well as the unemployed.
“This is the most organic group of people that I have been involved with,” said Mark Dilley, 44, who has been camping out since Thursday night at Chapman Square. Dilley moved to Portland from Detroit and was recently laid off from his job at a start-up company.
Marilyn Thomas, a 29-year-old nurse, pushed her five-month-old daughter in a stroller along with a protest sign. Thomas said she owes it to her daughter’s generation to come out and show support.
The Portland Police Bureau had deployed officers to block off West Burnside Street and Broadway Avenue for the marchers. Before protesters made their way to Pioneer Square, they were reminded to keep order and avoid confrontation with the police. The National Lawyers Guild also provided protesters with a phone number that they could call if they saw an arrest take place.
Overall, the protesters seem to have coexisted peacefully with the Portland police.
Mike White, who volunteered to be a legal observer for the National Lawyers Guild, said he was more than surprised by the amount of cooperation between the police and the protesters.
“It’s mind-blowing. The police have done a 180-degree turn from what I’m used to,” White said.
When the group made its way through Old Town and toward Pioneer Square, the protesters carried signs and chanted: “Whose street? Our street!” A large Mr. Monopoly cut-out, which represents the collective Wall Street bankers, was one of the most prominent signs floating down Broadway Avenue.
Hundreds of downtown workers looked on from their office buildings, taking pictures with their camera phones.
By 3 p.m. on Thursday, the crowd filled Pioneer Square for half an hour of rallying before it marched onward to Chapman Square. Through a special amendment passed by Mayor Sam Adams moments before the protest, the city is allowing Occupy Portland to camp out in the square despite not having a permit.
However, it was not certain whether protesters could continue camping until Sunday, when the Portland Marathon took place. The marathon’s organizers had reserved space around Chapman Square far in advance. But by Friday evening, organizers from the Portland Marathon and members of Occupy Portland had reached an agreement to allow the campers to remain.
Fences were put up around the park, and from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, protesters were not allowed to go in or out of Chapman Square, so as not to disrupt marathon proceedings.
Amy Evangelista, one of the liaisons between the Portland Marathon and Occupy Portland, said that the cooperation between the two groups has been “unbelievable”.
“We have received a lot of support from [the Portland Marathon],” Evangelista said. “I was talking to some runners, and they thanked us for working with them.”
Sitting on a bench with her friend and enjoying ice cream after completing the marathon, Renee Bloom said she had no problem with the protesters camping out in an area that was originally reserved for the marathon.
“I don’t think obstructing the route is what they’re about,” Bloom said, adding that she joined the marathon to celebrate her 50th birthday.
A large protest was also held at noon on Sunday in the Park Block on the PSU campus, with protesters marching toward Pioneer Place.
On Sunday night, spirits were still high inside the encampment. A man yelled out, “I need four volunteers!” Immediately, a handful of people nearby raised their arms.