Portland Commissioners Release Statement on Recent Protests

The following statement comes jointly from the City of Portland Commissioners Dan Ryan, Mingus Mapps, Jo Ann Hardesty, and Carmen Rubio addressing the recent protests:

The murder of Daunte Wright is a reminder that the call for justice for Black lives, accountability, and systemic community safety reform never stops. These events are a clear reminder of the work we still need to do, as a community and as elected leaders, to create a city that mirrors our collective values.

We must condemn racial profiling and police violence just as strongly as we condemn indiscriminate property damage and the normalization of arson. We cannot and should not tolerate violence, and we cannot and should not continue to defer our dreams for a more equitable, inclusive, and just city.

Our Council action last week is a meaningful first step that should give our community hope—hope that this first action will be followed promptly by other meaningful steps taken with our county, school district, state, and federal partners. Working together, peacefully and persistently, we can achieve the justice and reform our community seeks.

Read The Skanner's story: Black Leaders Respond to City Council Compromise on Gun Violence Prevention