Killer Taunts Victim
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Introducing Juneteenth Rutherford Park Elevates First Portland park Significance named for black As day becomes woman holiday, NFL star See Local News, page 3 leads youth on justice march Established in 1970 See story, page 2 PO QR code ‘City of www.portlandobserver.com Volume XLVIV • Number 15 Roses’ Wednesday • June 24, 2020 Committed to Cultural Diversity Toppled in Protest Jeremy Christian Killer Taunts Victim Heated exchange delays Christian PHOTO BY MICHAEL LEIGHTON/THE PORTLAND OBSERVER A historic bronze statute commemorating the namesake for Jefferson High School sits on the ground awaiting transport to school sentencing district storage on Monday, June 15, after being toppled one night earlier during a protest against police brutality and racism. BY MICHAEL LEIGHTON PORTLAND OBSERVER EDITOR Community healing is priority now, principal says Sentencing for the Jeremy Christian, the racist-spewing Max rider convicted A historic bronze statute commemorat- the statute, school officials said. pendence, but also a slave owner. of killing two men and injuring a third ing the namesake for Portland’s Jefferson Automobile tire tracks could be seen Some members of the school communi- as they defended two black teenagers High School has sparked new conversa- nearby, indented into the all-weather ath- ty have advocated for the statute’s removal he was verbally assaulting on a MAX tions about the appropriate name for the letic track that surrounds the football field, along with the name of the school, others light rail train in 2017 was delayed on school and its future after the statute was the apparent evidence that a vehicle was want the Jefferson High School name pre- Tuesday after Christian was thrown out toppled to the ground during a June 14 pro- used to help pull the statute down. served because of its long history as Port- of court for going on a tirade against the test over police brutality and racism. Jefferson High School Principal Mar- land’s most diverse high school serving first victim who spoke. A crowd of several hundred people had garet Calvert said the goal now for school African American families for generations. Demetria Hester was testifying about gathered for a Black Lives Matter demon- leaders is to promote community healing. Jefferson High School alumnus Clif- her encounter with Christian the day stration to hear speeches and participate in Calvert acknowledged that in recent ford Walker has led community efforts to before the fatal stabbings on a different a planned march to Alberta Park, located years both the statute and name for the remove the Jefferson name and statute for Max train when he threatened to kill her several blocks to the east on Northeast school have become more controversial several years, saying a slave owner isn’t for being a black woman and struck her Killingsworth Street. But when the march- because of the historical context to Thomas an appropriate centerpiece for the histori- in the eye with a bottle. ers moved away from the school, another Jefferson, the nation’s third president and splinter group descended and tore down the author of the U.S. Declaration of Inde- CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Page 2 June 24, 2020 The Week in Review COVID-19 Cases Increase Oregon’s coronavirus cases increased by 514 people during the week- end and a quarter of the new cases are based in Multnomah County, where officials say a majority of the spread is occurring among close social networks, such as family and friends. Governor Calls on Lawmakers Gov. Kate Brown announced last week she will convene a special legislative session starting on Wednesday to address the state’s COVID-19 pandemic and to improve police accountability following weeks of protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Black Woman Handcuffed at Emanuel Hospital Complaints about a black woman handcuffed and detained Thursday by Legacy Emanuel security has prompted the hospital to suspend its security officers’ further use of handcuffs and trespass arrests in non-violent situations. The woman ultimately was released and not charged, the Oregonian reported. Washington Statue Toppled A quiet evening of demonstra- tions for racial justice and police reform in Portland on Thursday last week ended with another group of protesters razing of a George Washington statue at northeast 57th and Sandy. Some wrapped the statue’s head in an American flag and lit the flag on fire. Gresham Votes to Fly Black Lives Matter Flag PHOTO BY DJ WILLINGHAM The Gresham City Council voted unanimously on Monday to fly the Brennan Scarlett, a former Central Catholic football standout and now a linebacker with the Houston Black Lives Matter flag at City Hall until the end of July. It comes Texans of the NFL, speaks out for racial justice on Friday, June 19 during a Black Lives Matter rally days after the resignations of Gresham’s mayor, police chief and city at Peninsula Park in observance of Juneteenth, In the wake of national and local protests over police manager and reports blaming those in leadership positions for drop- brutality and racial injustice, Portland government leaders have declared Juneteenth a new annual ping the ball on diversity training in the police department. paid holiday for city and county employees. Police Tactics Review Ordered Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and new Police Chief Chuck Lovell said they will review police tactics after hearing accounts of officers threat- Juneteenth Elevates in Significance ening and roughing up journalists covering demonstrations against po- to King School Park as they chant- ployees. lice brutality. “Members of the media, not just in Portland but around As day becomes ed “Black Lives Matter.” Although Juneteenth has been the country, should not be targeted, hurt, or arrested while reporting on In another Juneteenth protest regularly celebrated by Mult- demonstrations,” the two leaders said in a joint statement last week. holiday, NFL organized by young people, par- nomah County employees and ticipants reflected on what the hol- community members as a day of star leads youth iday and the Black Lives Matter commemoration, education and movement means to them during achievement, the chair’s designa- on justice march a gathering at the Salmon Springs tion places the day of observance Portland observed Juneteenth Fountain, downtown. Later, mem- alongside Independence Day, Me- for the first time as an official bers of Portland’s interfaith com- morial Day and Presidents’ Day in holiday Friday and the day was munity wrapped up the day with significance and impact. celebrated by thousands of people a prayer at Terry Schrunk Plaza, “We have a profound respon- who marched for racial justice in downtown. sibility at the county to acknowl- Atlanta Officer Charged demonstrations against police bru- Both Portland and Multnomah edge that the structural inequities tality, protests that have continued County have made Juneteenth an in our community and country are An Atlanta police officer was charged last week with murder for the almost daily in the city since the official annual paid holiday for rooted in the original enslavement shooting death of Rayshard Brooks in a fast-food parking lot two Memorial Day police custody their employees in a moment of of black people,’’ Kafoury said in weeks ago, the latest in a long line of unarmed African Americans death of George Floyd, a black reckoning for the history of an- a statement. “Observing the day of whose fatal encounters with law enforcement have been document- man whose neck was pinned to the ti-blackness and racism in Port- black liberation honors the histor- ed on video. Brooks, a 27-year-old father-of-three, “never presented ground in Minneapolis for more land. ic and current struggle, acknowl- himself as a threat” according to prosecutors. than 8 minutes before he died. Last Wednesday, the Portland edges the strength of our black At Peninsula Park in north City Council voted unanimously neighbors, friends and family, and Portland, a large group of young to adopt Juneteenth as an annual reminds us of the hard and nec- people gathered to celebrate black Day of Remembrance and paid essary work we must continue to lives with speakers in a Juneteenth holiday. dismantle systems of oppression.’’ event organized by Malik Mont- “Since the death of George Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on gomery, a 22-year-old who grew Floyd, thousands of people have Thursday proclaimed June 19 as up in the neighborhood and host- reached out to my office demand- Juneteenth in Oregon and said ed with the help of the Big Yard ing accountability and change,” she will introduce a bill in 2021 to Foundation, a nonprofit that sup- Wheeler said. “Today’s ordinance make it a state holiday. ports community empowerment. and resolution are a direct result Brown said celebrating black The speakers took to the stage of our commitment to listen and freedom “is fiercely important as to share their experiences and respond to our community. This people around the world protest speak out for racial justice. Bren- is not performative. This is our re- systemic racism and undeniably nan Scarlett, a former Central ality and it is our responsibility to show that Black Lives Matter.” Catholic football standout and resolve the brutality of the past.” Juneteenth commemorates now a linebacker with the Hous- Multnomah County Chair June 19, 1865, when the Union ton Texans of the NFL, called on Deborah Kafoury cited the histor- army brought word of the Eman- the community to unify behind a ical systemic oppression of black cipation Proclamation to enslaved Web: www.sunlanlighting.com • E-mail: [email protected] peaceful message for change. people as the backdrop to her re- people in Texas.