Protests in Portland continue after Biden's inauguration
Boarded up buildings in Portland
The west-coast city of Portland, Oregon has seen protests for many months since the George Floyd incident in Minneapolis last Spring. Protests have been occurring nearly every night since May 2020 and at times have included thousands of individuals. Two of the main groups represented in the protests are Black Lives Matter and Antifa (an 'antifascist' organization). Although some of the protests have been peaceful, many have descended into riots, with wide-spread vandalism, looting, arson and at times shootings and injuries to protestors and police. These protests have been going on so long now that the downtown area of Portland is heavily boarded up and many businesses have closed, due to the pandemic, lock-downs and rioting. Why have these destructive protests continued long after the George Floyd incident and now after a liberal, Democratic administration has entered office in Washington DC?
Police in Portland
Protestors claim that even though the Biden administration has promised to pursue racial justice, minorities are still oppressed and people are still assaulted by police. CNN reports that protestors say:
"We wanted to symbolize that both parties are the oppressor," said a 25-year-old protester who wished not to be identified, fearing government reprisal. "We've all experienced firsthand that police violence is police violence regardless (of which political party holds power). ... It doesn't make a difference to the person being beaten." (Here's why protesters say they're gathering in Portland)
On inauguration day Wednesday, the protestors once again took to the street and attacked and damaged the Democratic party headquarters in Portland.The Democratic party said that the attack was unfortunate, and that the new president and vice-president would be working for racial justice.
A damaged Starbucks in Portland
Other groups of people in Portland however, blame the city government and the mayor, Ted Wheeler, for allowing violent protests to go on for too long. They say that the downtown of Portland has been seriously damaged and now needs to be revitalized. Mayor Ted Wheeler himself stood with protestors over the summer and was tear-gassed by federal police, but was also attacked by other protestors, who launched fireworks at his condo building and punched him in the face while dining in a restaurant.
Mayor Ted Wheeler punched by protestor
Protestors attack Mayor Wheeler's condo building
Question: Do you think protestors should be allowed to continue demonstrating in Portland?
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