Portland to the Barricades
Mass evictions are coming
Renter protections are scheduled to end on December 31. Happy New Year! Yet, the banks are jumping the gun in Portland. Michael Kinney’s African-American family is being evicted from the historic Black community. But wait a minute. Thousands of Portlanders have blocked the street in front of their home to prevent the eviction. Turncoat Mayor Ted Wheeler has given the Portland Police a blank check to clear the defenders and to evict the family. The police are at a loss to accomplish those objectives without a bloodbath.
Portland anti-eviction defenders need help right now. The rest of us will need help at the end of this month. The tactics in Portland are not new. During the Great Depression of the 1930s thousands rallied to the Communist Unemployed Committees and took action when police made evictions. Today’s events seem more spontaneous but are rousing thousands in Portland, which can already be deemed a “hero city” in its valiant and long fight against police abuse of protestors. What happens next will have an impact nationwide on the future direction of the fight against evictions. If you live in the Washington/Oregon area, you may want to play a part in the beginning of this historic struggle.
If you are part of the eviction defense, please send us an on-the-scene report.
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