Jesse Jackson Speaks at Portland Rally, 10 Arrested

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Taya Alami, GoLocalPDX Reporter

Photo Credit: Taya Alami // GoLocalPDX

The Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke to a crowd of several hundred people in downtown Portland Saturday night gathered to protest a police officer in Missouri who fatally shot unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown. A march followed the demonstration and ten people were arrested in clashes with police.

Several similar demonstrations have been held this week, all with protesters blocking traffic in front of the Justice Center on SW 3rd Avenue before marching through the city.

During the rally Saturday, Jackson said that the demonstrations in Portland, and other cities around the nation, were proof that Brown didn’t die pointlessly.

“Today, Michael Brown is more alive than his killers,” Jackson said.

Brown’s killer, Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, recently resigned from his job as a police officer. Protesters in Portland said they took little comfort in Wilson’s resignation.

“It doesn’t mean anything, it makes no difference,” one protester said. “He still got off, he still made of money and he’ll still get to have Christmas with his family.”

However, Jackson said that demonstrations emerging from Ferguson were building momentum around the country. The movement had come so far, Jackson said, that it couldn't be stopped. Jackson also stressed a need for the movement to keep forgiveness and humanity in mind.

“We’re going to go forward by hope,” Jackson said. “But we’ve got to get some forgiveness so we can move forward.”

At one point during the rally, attendees repeated what Jackson was saying line for line.

After the rally, demonstrators began a march through downtown.

Ten people, including one juvenile, were arrested at around 11:15 p.m. at Southwest 2nd Avenue and Main Street after a group of protesters laid down in the street and refused to move, according to Sgt. Pete Simpson of the Portland Police Bureau.

"Several members of the media were present during this incident but no media members were arrested, as was being speculated on Twitter," Simpson said. "Additionally, no 'rubber bullets' were used as was being erroneously reported on Twitter."

One police car was damaged by protesters. The suspects were charged of disorderly conduct in interfering with a peace officer, according to police.