Fw: Protests in Portland

[Guest guest]

Portlanders take to streets,

protest Bush & war

11:49 PM PST on Wednesday, November 3, 2004 By KGW and AP Staff

 

 

Angry protesters wearing gas masks and hoisting cardboard peace signs took

to the streets of downtown Portland for several hours on Wednesday evening,

calling for an end to the Iraq war and greater scrutiny of President Bush's

re-election victory.

 

Protesters, upset about the elction outcome, take the streets of downtown

Portland.

 

The demonstrators, who numbered in the hundreds, were met by police in riot

gear who arrived on foot, on motorcycles, on bicycles and on horseback near

the intersection of 4th and Burnside. The march apparently began at Pioneer

Courthouse Square and then headed to the Federal Building at 3rd and Madison

before making its way through the rest of downtown. Some of the chanting

protesters attempted to block evening traffic heading home. Police said at

least seven people were arrested, but there were no reports of any serious

injuries. Around 9:30 p.m., police squirted some demonstrators with what

appeared to be pepper spray in front of the Justice Center in an attempt to

get the crowd to disperse. The protesters chanted " Not our president, not

our war, " and sought an investigation into Bush's victory over Democrat John

Kerry. The Portland Indy Media Web site, often used by local protest groups

to communicate, said the message of the demonstration was " don't buy into

the system, don't accept defeat. "

 

Anti-Bush demonstrators protest the outcome of the election in downtown

Portland.

" I want to see democracy in America, " said protester Cyrus Smith, 24. " I

want all the votes scrutinized. " Others just wanted to let Bush know that

they wouldn't quietly accept his policies. " I'm not trying to challenge the

vote -- it's keeping things alive, " said Jeremy Lambshead, 23, whose eyes

and face were visibly inflamed. He said mounted police charged the crowd and

sprayed him with Mace, as he scrambled get out of the way. " We're still here

" he added. " You may have won the White House, you may have won the House,

you may have won the Senate, but we're still here. " As police arrested one

man, protesters yelled, " Police go home. " One held a sign reading: " Let's do

what Kerry wouldn't -- revolt. " Police sprayed a second man with what

appeared to be Mace and tackled yet another, before leading him away in

handcuffs.

 

Eric Blickenstaff, whose brother was killed in Iraq last December, waves an

upside down American flag.

One demonstrator, Eric Blickenstaff, 30, of Portland, lost his brother in

the war in Iraq. Spc. Joseph M. Blickenstaff died last December when his

combat vehicle tumbled off a dirt road in central Iraq. " This is the

international sign for distress, " said Blickenstaff, holding an upside-down

American flag. " Our country is in distress. The religious right won the

election. " Other protesters pounded trash cans and dumpsters with sticks.

Eighteen-year-old Christa Schmid wore a gag and carried a sign that said:

Patriot Act. " " I cried when the results came in, " she said. " Now all I can

do is just get out on the street. " A young man nearby kept his distance from

the demonstrators, quietly holding up his own cardboard message: " World

forgive our arrogance and apathy. " Other anti-Bush protests occur nationwide

The Portland protest was one of several across the nation, all sparked by

Bush's re-election victory. Elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest, a protest In

Bellingham, Wash. snarled downtown traffic for more than an hour Wednesday

evening and also drew police in riot gear. More than 300 protesters started

on the grounds of Western Washington University's Performing Arts Center,

then moved through downtown, escorted by police. The crowd staged a sit-in

at one intersection and stopped at another, holding up afternoon traffic.

Police cited one protester for disorderly conduct. After police threatened

to make arrests, the protesters dispersed. " We need to get out of Iraq

before we kill more people, " declared Whitney Thomas, a 17-year-old senior

at Ferndale High School. " Even with (Sen. John) Kerry in there, it wouldn't

be that much better. " Riley Sweeney, an 18-year-old WWU freshman, elected to

wear his protest: he showed up in a gray fedora and checkered blue bathrobe.

" I am in mourning because of the decision our country has made, " he said. " I

don't think I'll be wearing pants for a while. " Across America, college

students in St. Paul, Minn. held up signs, saying their voices had not been

heard. And in Red Hook, N.Y., 12 Bard College students were arrested after

250 students gathered to claim Bush was not the legitimate winner.

 

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SUBMITTED BY:

Subj: Portlanders take to streets, protest Bush & war

11/4/04 11:55:02 PM Central Standard Time

Macewa (Mary in California)