Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler was recently forced to move from his home after his condo building had been the site of repeated riots and protests.
More than 200 people on Monday night marched to where Wheeler lives to demand his resignation. A few in the crowd lit a fire on the street, others shattered windows, and some even broke into a dental office, taking a chair and office supplies.
A bundle of newspapers was also set on fire and thrown into the ground floor of the condo building. The fire didn’t spread and was quickly extinguished. 20 people were arrested that night.
Protesters have demanded the resignation of Mayor Wheeler after a perceived lack of action in enacting police reforms. They are demanding that the police department be drastically defunded.
Wheeler wrote a letter to his neighbors letting them know he was leaving and expressing his sincerest apologies for the ongoing violence around their homes. He stated he was moving in order to avoid any more riots in the area.
This announcement was shortly after he rejected an offer from President Donald Trump to help lower the crime and clean up the cities.
“We don’t need your politics of division and demagoguery. Portlanders are onto you. We have already seen your reckless disregard for human life in your bumbling response to the COVID pandemic. And we know you’ve reached the conclusion that images of violence or vandalism are your only ticket to reelection,” Wheeler tweeted to President Trump.
If only Wheeler had taken the President’s advice, he probably would’ve had that mess outside his building cleaned up in 45 minutes. Instead, he just blamed the President’s previous efforts that made the violence worse. Wonder how long it’ll take for the “peaceful protesters” to find Wheeler’s new place.
When asked if Wheeler had responded to the President’s latest offer from Homeland Security, he just made a snarky comment about Trump picking out real estate agents. It’s not really a joking matter in a city where your acts range from dangerous to criminal. The violence must stop.
Businesses are getting broken into and people are living in situations that endanger their lives. There must be a line drawn in the sand to hold people accountable, instead of mayors who publicly support it for a few political points.
Guess Wheeler will just keep declining the President’s offer and moving around home to home, until Portland eventually kicks him out for good.
