Remember the myth that the protests in Portland, which have been going on nightly for more than three months, were peaceful until the Trump administration sent in federal law enforcement officers to guard the federal courthouse that had been under siege? A new report from Oregon Public Broadcasting reveals that Mayor Ted Wheeler had the bold idea that telling the cops to stand down would ease tensions and maybe put an end to the nightly rioting.
New report confirms what we all knew: Mayor @tedwheeler instructed police to stand down in the face of riots. Having no opposition, antifa then strategically worked to develop a system to main the riots now for almost 3 months. https://t.co/rpXiUXOvQI
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 24, 2020
Rebecca Ellis reports:
In late July, Mayor Ted Wheeler had an idea he hoped would end the nightly clashes between protesters and police in Portland.
He texted Sonia Schmanski, a top aide, that he had a plan that was “high risk,” but he added that the city had “nothing to lose.”
His idea: Tell his police force to stand down from the demonstrations.
It was a move protesters had urged for months, arguing that police decked in riot gear needlessly raised the tensions of the nightly protests. Wheeler told OPB he, too, had noticed a “calming deescalating effect” on nights when police stayed out of sight.
But the protests soon drifted to the east side of the city. And Wheeler said he was persuaded that the plan was too dicey as protesters began targeting police buildings near homes in residential neighborhoods.
So essentially he thought that surrendering control of the downtown area to the mob would placate them, but he realized that plan wasn’t going to work when the mob started moving into residential neighborhoods.
So essentially he has sanctioned the riots.
— Karen Walker (@KarenWalker2020) August 24, 2020
@tedwheeler should spend a week in the front line with the LEO (without his security guards) and see what they are dealing with. Perhaps that could help him decide the best course of action going forward.
— Jen (@procraftinator) August 24, 2020
Well hopefully Ted has a good defense if all that is the case, because he will need one.
— Carmine Savastano (@NeapolisMG) August 24, 2020
Here is the issue: the vast majority of our political leadership are not leaders, but actually functioning administrators. This is fine 99% of the time. But the single time any are forced to make tough decisions they are completely inadequate…
— SDR Trades (@SDRTrader) August 24, 2020
“But the protests soon drifted to the east side of the city. And Wheeler said he was persuaded that the plan was too dicey as protesters began targeting police buildings near homes in residential neighborhoods.”
Why would peaceful protests be dicey? Weird. 🙄
— Scripted (@ScriptedAnon) August 24, 2020
It’s been this way for years, not just the last 3 months.
— Don (@TheCougCoach) August 24, 2020
It has. We’ve been covering Portland for years. We’re surprised there’s anything left.
Looks like Portland’s urban areas are on the path to be reduced into ruins or a large pile of rubble if stuff like this is not stopped.
— Ishra Blackwolf (someone with a mixed reputation) (@hindvsvtan) August 24, 2020
The fact that people want to live like this boggles my mind.
— Survivor Trev (@SurvivorTrev) August 24, 2020
Ted’s big adventure didn’t turn out so well.
— RichardCunningham MD (@CunninghamMD) August 24, 2020
@Tedwheeler should step down. He’s negligent in defending and protecting the citizens of Portland.
— Rhonda Stratton (@RhondaRN62) August 24, 2020
How long until he’s indicted?
— Name cannot be blank (@total_soul1221) August 25, 2020
If I were any of these police officers in Oregon, I would seriously consider moving to a different state. There is no “winning” over there and better for family health
— Michigan Born Sports (@TravisKole) August 24, 2020
Is Wheeler evil or incompetent?
— Newbomb Turk (@mindspin412) August 24, 2020
If this mayor would hav talked to police in Berlin, Germany, (where Antifa originated) he knew, his hands-off tactics fuels violence. Wheeler is more interested to look anti-Trump than protecting the city against Antifa. An arsonist as firefighter won’t work.
— ruediger drischel (@RudyDrischel) August 24, 2020
Wheeler can’t define peaceful much less know how to stop it when it crosses the line, which is nightly. You can assemble during reasonable hours, use your words, and go home. Graffiti, burning, assault, etc. are out of bounds. That is not protected.
— Milo Jack (@jack_milo) August 24, 2020
Ted Wheeler will forever be a cautionary tale of incompetence and appeasement.
— Naql Aql (@naqlaql) August 24, 2020
I hope Ted Wheeler becomes a sizably sued example for all the other mayors to gaze upon.
— Cari Kelemen (@KelemenCari) August 24, 2020
It’s like there’s a contest among Democrats as to who can be the absolute worst mayor in America.
— Eric In Idaho (@EricInIdaho) August 24, 2020
He is as much of a criminal as the rioters.
— 🇺🇸 Aelin Jane Dale 🇺🇸 (@AelinDale) August 24, 2020
Wheeler needs to be removed from office. He is inept, and derelict in his duties to protect the citizens of Portland and maintain law and order. He is ineffective as mayor. He must be dismissed, NOW!
— Alberta (@MunchkinKitty1) August 24, 2020
It’s not a protest movement. It’s a guerrilla insurgency.
— Scott Woodington (@ScottWoodingto1) August 24, 2020
If the “small group of violent protesters” use the large group of “peaceful protestors” as cover night after night after night, it’s hard to stay say that the “peaceful protesters” are not complicit in the violence and destruction.
— Stacheowicz (@stacheowicz) August 25, 2020
Serious question. Does anyone have a plausible explanation of why Wheeler is doing this? He’s almost certainly contributing to the re-election chances of Trump while making his own re-election untenable. What does turning downtown Portland into a shithole get him?
— Proper Zen 🍸 (@ProperZen) August 24, 2020
Maybe it’s as simple as he agrees with them. There’s no reason to expend a lot of effort trying to understand ignorance.
— Travelinman (@Travelinman15) August 24, 2020
Wheeler made himself perfectly clear when he said he didn’t want the help of the DHS and that his primary concern was the violence federal officers had brought to the streets. So, yeah, it looks like he was fine with the status quo until the federal government got involved and tried to shut it down.
Wheeler says ““I believe this will ultimately burn itself out,” and that he’s working on a plan to speed that along.
What’s he going to do, give them free gasoline?
— ❌MrBlueSky❌ 🇺🇸 Text TRUMP to 88022 (@mjdallasblue) August 24, 2020
Related:
‘We do not need or want their help’: Portland’s mayor tells Homeland Security his biggest concern is ‘the violence federal officers brought to our streets’ https://t.co/l00ayJSHyQ
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 15, 2020
