Portland Anti-Trump March Organizers Create A Fundraising Campaign to Pay for Last Night's Anarchist Damages

The city's new protest group, Portland's Resistance, wants to make it clear they don't condone the violence and vandalism that occurred last night, and that they aren't affiliated with it.

By Sophia June

Police arrested 25 people in the wee hours this morning in the third night of anti-Trump protests in Portland. Police declared the marched a riot around 8:30, as anarchists took over what started as a peaceful protest.

The protest's organizer, Gregory McKelvey of Don't Shoot Portland, told protesters to leave around 9 pm when the protest turned to vandalism.

Anarchists continued to smash storefront windows and bus stops, damage cars and spray graffiti. Police deployed stun grenades and rubber bullets around midnight.

The chaos has attracted national attention: The Associated Press has called Oregon the epicenter of anti-Trump protests.

Mayor-elect Ted Wheeler decried the property destruction this morning.

"Last night, what started as a peaceful protest ended in violence and vandalism," Wheeler said in a statement. "While this was caused by a small group of people among thousands, such a conclusion is unacceptable. None of us – protesters, business owners, or the community at large – can afford for this to happen again."

Wheeler added on Twitter that he believed the objective of the anarchists was to undermine the protest.

The group leading the protest, Portland's Resistance, wants to make it clear they don't condone the vandalism that occurred last night, and that they aren't affiliated with it.

The violent actions that occurred last night had absolutely nothing to do with our group,” McKelvey wrote in a press release.
They created a GoFundMe page, which has already raised nearly $10,000 for damage repairs.
They also said they we will be volunteering all day tomorrow to clean up our city that was vandalized by individuals who are not connected to the group. They created a Facebook page for others who would like to help volunteer.
The group announced they will be meeting at 5 pm today at Portland City Hall for a rally and heal-in, where they will “talk talk about our demands to make our city a better place and discuss our campaign to repair the damage that was done to our city last night,” the press release says. “We sincerely apologize to anyone who’s property was damaged, even though it was not done by our group, and we invite you to join us, to heal, and to consider the conditions that enrage, enflame and divide us all. Together we can heal this divide.”
McKelvey could not immediately be reached for comment.

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