In addition to attacking an occupied apartment building and dental office, as The Daily Wire reported early Tuesday, agitators in Portland also held a “block party” outside the home of Portland mayor Ted Wheeler, calling on Wheeler to resign and blaming Wheeler for ongoing unrest — unrest that, last week, likely resulted in the death of a “right-wing” counterprotester.
Demonstrators did the “Macarena” in the street outside Wheeler’s condominium, the Portland Mercury reported Tuesday, and trotted out a person dressed as a giant teddy bear, labeled “Tear Gas Teddy” — a reference to Portland police’s use of tear gas on protesters, something last night’s demonstrators clearly blame on the mayor.
The “party” was designed to mark Wheeler’s birthday, protesters said.
Protesters have arrived outside Ted Wheeler’s apartment building on NW 10th and Glisan. This person dances in an inflated teddy bear costume, holding up a sign that reads “I HATE MY CONSTITUENTS. – ME, TEAR GAS TEDDY:” pic.twitter.com/3QOpyeCuxi
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) September 1, 2020
“Speaking of Wheeler’s birthday—last night, protesters held a special comedy roast in his honor, before heading to his apartment building,” the Portland Mercury noted. “The crowd set fires and broke windows outside the building, and police responded by declaring a riot and arresting 19 people.”
Protesters brought out floats for a mock parade.
I’m in the North Park Blocks in NW Portland covering tonight’s Direct Action March calling for police abolition.
Today is also the 58th birthday of Portland Mayor Edward Tevis Wheeler, and the ~30 people in the park (some with signs that say “RESIGN”) have dressed accordingly! pic.twitter.com/qIu9dhJWZk
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) September 1, 2020
In celebration of Wheeler’s birthday, protesters joined in a round of “Happy Tear Gas To You,” a play on “Happy Birthday,” and accused the mayor of perpetuating white supremacy.
A sound system is set up by the sidewalk strung with gold balloons that spell out “FUCK YOU.” Before the roast of Ted Wheeler begins, the crowd sings a rendition of “Happy Tear Gas To You:” pic.twitter.com/CcO6fxAMCo
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) September 1, 2020
“Ted keeps talking about how his family has lived here for generations,” the event’s emcee announced. “Such a long time! However, it’s unclear if they meant since Oregon’s been a whites-only state.”
“Ted keeps talking about how his family has lived here for generations. Such a long time! However, it’s unclear if they meant since Oregon’s been a whites-only state.”
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) September 1, 2020
The situation quickly descended into chaos as protesters went from doing line dances to bongo drums to setting a bonfire in the middle of the street outside of Wheeler’s building.
“Protesters lit a fire in the street, as some danced to the ‘Macarena,’ according to Allison Mechanic, a reporter for KATU News who posted the video on Twitter. Others placed a picnic table from a nearby business above the fire to feed the blaze,” Fox News reported.
The Portland Police department cataloged the situation from there.
“A mass gathering devolved into a riot after individuals broke windows, burglarized a business, and lit a fire in an occupied apartment building,” the Portland Police Department said in a statement, according to the Daily Wire. “Some in the crowd began lighting off what appeared to be illegal commercial-grade fireworks. A fire was lit in a garbage can in the street. Some windows were broken and walls were defaced with graffiti. In an attempt to deescalate, officers stayed out of sight and monitored the situation from a distance. However, the vandalism and burning continued. People were seen burglarizing a business, taking furniture out, and throwing it on the fires in the street.”
Far-left groups in Portland called for Wheeler’s resignation in an open letter published over the weekend, citing Wheeler’s lack of leadership and control over the ongoing unrest. The group, though, isn’t concerned, as President Donald Trump and others are, that Wheeler is being too lenient on protesters who frequently become rioters, but that Wheeler hasn’t been accommodating enough, refusing to give in to demands to defund and dismantle the Portland Police Department.