JUNE 17,  2021

THE DEATH OF A CITY – OVERNIGHT:  Really, an American tragedy.  The slow death of Portland, Oregon, a beautiful city being run by the wrong people.  And no one outside Portland seems to care.  From Fox: 

All 50 of Portland police’s highly trained rapid response unit voted unanimously to resign on Wednesday during a union meeting in response to the recent indictment of Officer Corey Budworth for allegedly assaulting a photographer with his baton as an overnight riot broke out last August.

"Unfortunately, this decorated public servant has been caught in the crossfire of agenda-driven city leaders and a politicized criminal justice system," the Portland Police Association said in an initial statement Tuesday after a Multnomah County grand jury indicted Budworth on one count of fourth-degree assault related to an incident that occurred on Aug. 18, 2020.

That night, according to the police union, a group of about 200 demonstrators – many equipped with tactical helmets, faces covered, and armed with a variety of weapons – descended on the Multnomah Building in southeast Portland. Multiple dumpsters were set on fire, buildings were defaced, and windows were broken. A riot soon was declared at the planned event after someone from the crowd launched a Molotov cocktail into the Multnomah Building, setting it ablaze.

"After nearly 75 consecutive nights of violence, destruction, and mayhem, a small group of RRT (Rapid Response Team) officers—including Officer Budworth—were again tasked with dealing with the riot," the Portland Police Association said. "Per PPB Command Staff orders, RRT officers cleared the rioters from the area to allow the Fire Bureau to extinguish the blaze. But the rioters were not satisfied."

According to the union, rioters re-amassed and began marching back toward the building. As the Rapid Response Team was working to clear the area, Officer Budworth "was forcefully knocked to the ground" and officers deployed pepper spray and less lethal munitions as the crowd grew more aggressive.

Several rioters interfered with an officer attempting to place one person under arrest.

According to the union, rioters re-amassed and began marching back toward the building. As the Rapid Response Team was working to clear the area, Officer Budworth "was forcefully knocked to the ground" and officers deployed pepper spray and less lethal munitions as the crowd grew more aggressive.

Several rioters interfered with an officer attempting to place one person under arrest.

"RRT officers, including Officer Budworth, used their Police Bureau-issued batons to try and stop the crowd’s criminal activity," the union’s description of events continued. "Per his training and in response to the active aggression of a rioter interfering with a lawful arrest, Officer Budworth used baton pushes to move a rioter, now known to be Teri Jacobs, out of the area."

COMMENT:  Read the rest.  The officer minimally struck Jacobs, a political activist, who made a federal case out of it.  Being Portland, the authorities believed the rioter over the officer, and now the officer stands indicted. 

This is what happens when ideology, not competence, runs a city. 

America is not an ideological country.  It is an idealistic country, but the left could never understand, or care about, the distinction.  I have no idea where we'll get competent police officers in some cities, given that the war on police is a sacred leftist cause.  Portland is violent night after night.  The city puts up with it because the governing ideology demands that rioters be seen as victims of an unjust society.  No other explanation is accepted.

June 17, 2022