Officials threaten to fine Feds for fence blocking bike lane

[struggle4progress]

By Aaron Mesh
Published 6:15 PM
Updated 10:48 PM

Portland city attorneys sent a July 22 cease-and-desist letter to the federal agency that oversees a downtown courthouse, threatening fines for erecting a metal fence that keeps out protesters—and also blocks a bicycle lane.

"Unidentified agents of the federal government have placed unpermitted fencing and jersey barriers in the city's right of way outside of the Hatfield Federal Courthouse," says the letter from Chief Deputy City Attorney Robert Taylor. "The fencing and barriers in the right of way create a hazard for Portlanders by blocking the bike lane on Southwest Main <Street>, which is the premier bike facility into downtown Portland" ...

The city attorney's letter was written on behalf of the Portland Bureau of Transportation. In his own letter to the U.S. General Services Administration, the PBOT director says the fence is a safety hazard for cyclists.

"The structure completely obstructs the bike lane and needs to be removed promptly," writes PBOT director Chris Warner. "Failure to remove will constitute a Class I violation of City Code and Transportation Administrative Rules designed to protect the safety of the traveling public and will be subject to fines and potential legal action" ...

https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2020/07/23/portland-city-officials-threaten-to-fine-feds-for-courthouse-fence-its-blocking-a-bike-lane/

[struggle4progress]

1. Order temporarily blocks Feds from targeting press and legal observers

July 23, 202011:51 PM ET
RACHEL TREISMAN

A federal judge has temporarily blocked federal law enforcement officers deployed to Portland, Ore., from targeting journalists and legal observers at the protests against police violence and racial injustice that have intensified in recent days.

U.S. District Judge Michael Simon issued a restraining order Thursday preventing federal agents from "arresting, threatening to arrest, or using physical force" directed at anyone they know to be a journalist or legal observer, unless they have probable cause to believe they have committed a crime.

The order also blocks the defendants from seizing any photographic, audio and video recording equipment and press passes from people in those two categories, as well as from ordering them to stop recording or observing a protest.

It took effect at 5 p.m. on Thursday and will last for 14 days ...

https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/07/23/894953202/order-temporarily-blocks-feds-from-targeting-press-and-legal-observers-in-portla

[TlalocW]

2. This feels like the equivalent of

Getting Capone on tax charges.

TlalocW

[struggle4progress]

3. Power is multi-layered -- but one layer involves millions and millions of routine accommodations

made daily, often by people who aren't even thinking about the consequences of their tiny actions

When the Nazis first had power in Germany, an early requirement was that the official greeting used by all government workers would be the stiff-arm salute with heil wazzizname. This meant that everywhere everybody went, the stiff-arm and the heil were constant and became ingrained

Even gently murmured dissents can matter

The principle that everyone is subject to the law matters too

[royable]

4. Forget threats of fines--PBOT should simply dismantle it.

If the “unidentified agents” resist, have the local police arrest them. And take their mug shots, and release their names and their affiliations.

What could go wrong?

(Semi-sarcasm)

[struggle4progress]

5. Process matters