Since Portland’s protests against systemic racial injustice began in late May, a number of incidents have galvanized people on social media: the painting of murals on boarded-up windows downtown store windows; the naked “Athena” protester; the Wall of Moms.
The latest one to gather steam occurred during Thursday’s demonstration, when two women in their 70s confronted Black Lives Matter protesters who were trying to set fires near a police building on East Burnside, and ended up splashed in paint.
In a letter sent Friday to Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt, the Portland Police Association used images of the women to demand that Wheeler and Schmidt “Let the Police Chief, his command staff, and the rank-and-file officers do their jobs in protecting the City from the rioters who are bent on destroying our City, burning our police precincts, and assaulting officers or anyone else who gets in their way.”
The story was picked up by KGW. In interviews, the women, both of whom are white and live near the police building, said they supported Black people.
“I just think that vandalism sabotages the message,” one of the women, identified as Penny, told KGW.
Portland protests continued for the 71st consecutive night Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. Demonstrators gathered at Floyd Light City Park located at SE Stark St. and 111th Ave. and marched to Portland Police Bureau's East Precinct just a few blocks away. The demonstration was spread out through neighboring areas, including Mall 205. Mark Graves/Staff
Oregonian reporters who witnessed the incidents said they took place in front of the precinct shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday.
Both women found themselves in the most-chaotic part of the protest, where some people were setting fires and splashing paint on the building.
The woman identified as Penny approached with a walker, carrying a Black Lives Matter sign and a fire extinguisher. Some paint was splashed on her when protesters stopped her from trying to put out a fire.
The other woman was splattered in the face with paint. Protesters yelled at her to put on a mask, which she eventually did, and she attempted to have a dialogue with them, which didn’t appear to go anywhere.
Portland protests continued for the 71st consecutive night Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. Demonstrators gathered at Floyd Light City Park located at SE Stark St. and 111th Ave. and marched to Portland Police Bureau's East Precinct just a few blocks away. The demonstration was spread out through neighboring areas, including Mall 205. Mark Graves/Staff
Both women told protesters that the vandalism had to stop, that it wasn’t helping anyone and that it wasn’t helping their Black friends.
Conservative media called the women “heroes” who stood up to “antifa rioters,” but KGW’s Katherine Cook said both women told the station that there were “caring” people in the crowd of protesters and that some offered to walk them home. According to KGW, neither woman plans to press charges.
Mark Graves contributed to this report.
-- Lizzy Acker
503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker
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