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Jazz wrote about this last weekend. After the most recent rampage through the city by black bloc anarchists aka Antifa, Mayor Ted Wheeler is talking tough and promising to unleash the police. The mayor’s tough talk seems to have been prompted by a letter a group of black leaders wrote basically calling on the anarchists to knock it off. However, shortly after his remarks, Wheeler was criticized by some black leaders who denied they were trying to separate themselves from other protesters, which is sort of par for the course in Portland.
In any case, Wheeler’s threats to crackdown on anarchists certainly made news. The NY Times covered the story yesterday and added some reactions from people in Portland who are disgusted by what the city has become:
Downtown Portland businesses reeling, again, after latest spate of vandalism
Updated May 14, 2021;
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John Helmer III covered the windows of his hat and apparel shop in downtown Portland with fabric every night last summer. By doing so, he hoped to prevent his shop from becoming a target for vandalism while avoiding the cost and eyesore of putting boards over his windows.
As protests died down in the fall, Helmer decided those measures were no longer necessary. And earlier in April he noticed an increase in sales and foot traffic around his store, giving him hope that normal conditions might be returning downtown.
After Nearly a Year of Unrest, Portland Leaders Pursue a Crackdown nytimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nytimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Insurance Woes Impede Recovery
A lack of affordable insurance puts Portland businesses at risk of property damage and theft.
On May 30, 2020, during demonstrations for social justice in Portland’s downtown, someone broke the storefront window of Mercantile Portland, a high-end women’s clothing store on the corner of Southwest Alder Street and Park Avenue. Over the next several hours, thieves stole goods and vandalized the interior.
The shop was closed for the next four months as the owner fixed windows and cleaned up the place. The total for the repairs and the stolen goods came to $1 million, says Eric Murfitt, controller of Mercantile Portland.
It doesn t cover civil unrest : Downtown Portland businesses face rising insurance costs, decreased coverage after riots
Insurance underwriters are taking riots and damage into account when choosing whether or not to renew some policies. Author: Katherine Cook Updated: 11:26 PM PST January 5, 2021
PORTLAND, Ore. In downtown Portland, plywood and graffiti are the new cityscape. Only, it isn’t new, anymore.
Since late last spring, businesses have been dealing with damage and looting from riots and protests, most recently a New Year’s Eve riot organized by an anti-capitalist group. In May, Mercantile Portland on SW Alder suffered over $1 million dollars in damage and looting during a riot in response to the death of George Floyd.