Story and photos by Pete Shaw November 20 — “As you can see, I’m packed up and ready to go.” Debbie Austin doesn’t quite have the sarcasm thing down, at least by my Northeast pedigree, but nonetheless her sardonic tone is underscored by a quick look around the house which bears the hallmark of a…
Story and photos by Pete Shaw Fifty supporters of the eviction resistance movement gathered outside City Hall on November 16 to demand the City of Portland and Multnomah County declare a moratorium on evictions and the use of city police to help the sheriff enforce evictions. “We are bringing the fight to City Hall,” said…
Story and photos by Pete Shaw Just after her husband had driven away to take their granddaughter to school on November 6, Heather Sirotak found herself confronted by 40 officers, some brandishing guns. Prior to entering the house with the aid of what she described as a battering ram, Sirotak said she heard one “bellowing”…
Story and Photo By Pete Shaw Nearly 75 members of Portland’s Rapid Response Network (RRN) assembled outside Alicia Jackson’s home at noon today, within ten minutes of receiving a text message calling for their assistance. “The cops were acting fools in the front and backyard,” said Lobo, co-founder of the Blazing Arrow Organization (BAO). “We…
by Pete Shaw On May Day, local housing rights activists, including many Occupiers, helped Alicia Jackson take back her NE Portland home. Next door to Jackson’s house a duplex was under construction, which – unbeknownst to many of those helping Jackson – was being built on land that also had belonged to her. At yesterday’s…
by joyofresistance The Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade will never be the same again, thanks to Right to Survive (R2S) and houseless activists. This is the second year that R2S, an organization led by houseless and previously unhoused people, put out a call for “Pitch A Tent II—The Houseless Strike Back.” Together with folks from…
This story is part of our feature about the many protest events on May 1, 2012. Visit the feature page to see more. by K. Kendall Alicia Jackson has come home. Banksters stole her home and intimidated her into leaving it voluntarily, but she’s fighting the process. With the support of her community, she has…
By Barbara G. Ellis Portland, Oregon, is a city so packed with progressive activists that the two Bush presidents angrily dubbed it “Little Beirut”, because whenever they dared to drop in they were targeted by hundreds of vociferous protesters from many organizations. Issues that drew dissident ire included: the Iraq war, single-payer health insurance, impeaching…
This story is from the Occupied News Wire. It was originally published in the Boston Occupier. by John Lippitt Last month, a chapter was closed in the story of bank malpractice in the US. A $26 billion settlement was agreed to by forty-nine states and five financial giants — Bank of America, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan…
by Ahjamu Umi Meet Angelah Hill. She’s a 49 year-old mother in Portland, Oregon, and like plenty of people today, she’s fighting to save her home from foreclosure. What makes Angelah’s case worth noticing is that, as a black woman, she is the poster child of racism and predatory lending when it comes to foreclosures.…
