Some Concerns About Some Portland Tactics

The reports about late night street battles in Portland between some demonstrators and local police, and now Federal Protective Services and other federal militarized units, have reminded me of experiences at demonstrations I’ve had over the years.

One that came to mind was being in Quebec City, Quebec in the late summer of 2001 as part of a major global justice action. There was a meeting taking place of government leaders from throughout the Americas to try to create a “Free Trade Area of the Americas.” Following a march of thousands of people, many of us went right up to a line of…