Occupy Portland: Cops arrest 8 Occupy Portland protesters and reopen Main St.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/oct/13/cops-arrest-8-occupy-portland-protesters-reopen-st/

Portland — Police arrested eight people before dawn Thursday and reopened a downtown Portland street blocked the past week by protesters.

Officers moved in quickly at about 6 a.m., and traffic was flowing a half-hour later.

Many of the protesters had decided the day before to go along with Mayor Sam Adams' request to give up the street that divides two downtown park blocks where a settlement of camping tents and tarps has sprung up in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement.


raw video
Raw: Police clear SW Main at 6 a.m.
http://www.kgw.com/video?id=131790533&sec=547977

Raw: Mayor Adams on the decision to clear Main
http://www.kgw.com/video?id=131789663&sec=547977

[Rabblevox]

1. I'm afraid the Occupiers missed a golden opportunity here...

everyone knew that Main was going to be re-opened, one way or another. If the Occupation had beaten the police to the punch and taken down the barricades themselves, it would have generated enormous good will for the cause.

I am, again though, still surprised and impressed by the amount of restraint and good sense being shown by people on all sides here in Portland.

And the Occupation continues.


www.occupypdx.com

[ret5hd]

2. What happens if i go remove a barricade that the police put up?

[gratuitous]

3. Things have a shelf life

Blocking Main Street had passed from a symbolic action to more of an irritant to the general public, and it was time to end it. The occupiers could have cleared the street themselves voluntarily, but I don't see a persuasive argument one way or the other. The deed is done, and traffic can flow freely again.

It was rather humorous, though, after the street was cleared of barricades and protestors, Mayor Adams then turned around to the assembled reporters and camera folks to inform them that Main Street was now open, except for the blockage by the media. Heh, indeedy.

On a purely selfish note, I'm glad Main Street is open again, because I worried it was just a matter of time before some motorist, irritated at being diverted by the barricades, decided to take his irritation out on one of those dirty hippies and figured that the dirty hippie riding a bicycle in front of him (yours truly) would fill the bill.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. I agree with you

and the fact that only 8 people resisted it enough to get arrested says the alot of others agree too.