Police Protest Leaves Homophobic Graffiti in Portland City Hall

"It was not members of Don't Shoot PDX," a protest organizer says.

By Beth Slovic

Protesters with Don't Shoot Portland marched into City Hall on Sept. 23, demanding to meet with Mayor Charlie Hales to discuss the new police union contract, among other issues.

After several hours, Hales agreed to a meeting with the group, which regularly protests police violence against black people. When the building was cleared that evening, misogynistic and homophobic graffiti covered several walls of City Hall's Lovejoy room.

Graffiti in Portland City Hall's Lovejoy Room. Graffiti in Portland City Hall’s Lovejoy Room.

"KATE BROWN I$ A LESBIAN LOL," read one. "Charlie Hales is a pu$$y," read another. A third scrawl said "ACAB," a common abbreviation for "All Coppers Are Bastards."

Graffiti1

Greg McKelvey of Don't Shoot Portland said his group isn't to blame, adding that anarchists unaffiliated with the movement crashed the protest.

"If the mayor hadn't kept us waiting for three hours, that wouldn't have happened," says McKelvey.

Willamette Week

Explore more on:

Charlie HalesDon't Shoot PDXDon't Shoot Portland

Beth Slovic

Beth Slovic

Beth Slovic joined Willamette Week as a staff writer in 2006, returning in 2014 after a three-year hiatus. She covers politics, immigration and more.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office.

Help us dig deeper.

Support