Read on Twitter
Good morning. Let’s talk about injustice and nonsense? Here, as well reported by @JRamakrishnanOR and @bethnakamura, we have the story of @FredMeyerStores calling @PortlandPolice to guard dumpsters full of discarded food. 1/ https://twitter.com/oregonian/status/1361916778318815234
(Of course @PortlandPolice responded with boots on the ground b/c they really prioritize safeguarding private property— even once discarded. A summer of violently arresting people on allegations of setting trash can fires showed us how strongly PPB feels about refuse containers.)
Freddies and PPB thought this was an appropriate response to community members who peacefully sought to meet community needs during a pandemic public health emergency that has tossed thousands of ppl out of jobs, and left Oregonians more food insecure...
while an ice storm knocked out power to more Oregonians than any previous storm and even more people are struggling? 1 in 4 Oregonians is food insecure. That’s 1 million people— before the pandemic!
Single moms and people who aren’t white are 2 and 3Xs as likely to be hungry. 4/
Single moms and people who aren’t white are 2 and 3Xs as likely to be hungry. 4/
The organization that I’m honored to lead, @ulpdx, has stepped up since last spring to create meal box delivery and food pantry services for the community b/c we saw the need. Many of you are volunteering and giving 
b/c you see the need and want to help. 5/
b/c you see the need and want to help. 5/
Why didn’t @FredMeyerStores staff have the empathy and authority to just ignore dumpster divers? Is it that Freedies no longer has local leadership at the helm who could make an informed decision? 6/
Why then did @PortlandPolice help make the store’s boneheaded move to call them into a crying shame by actually showing up— 12 officers deep?? With that level of mobilization command officers were aware of the situation. 7/
They chose to use public resources during a double state of emergency to threaten Portlanders in order to defend trash bins? Are these the same @PortlandPolice who claim to need millions more 
in order to keep the city safe? 8/
in order to keep the city safe? 8/
Was that the same @PortlandPolice that is telling city council and community members that shootings are up and crimes remain unsolved in #PDX because they don’t have the people-power to address public safety concerns? 9/
If you’re so swamped, @PortlandPolice, why didn’t you tell the store it’s a civil matter and keep it moving? Why didn’t you respond that you’d like to help but you’re too busy helping to guide traffic and support emergency services management during the power outage? 10/
At this point, how can one seriously believe that PPB is down for the community? How can one believe that they value equity, justice, and community? It seems at every other turn they show up as bad actors and in opposition to community. 11/
PPB could have engaged the @SUNSHINE_DIV to organize volunteers or seek a rational solution. But most officers don’t live on #PDX, right? So they couldn’t see the need to respond differently. And they don’t see themselves as a public service and and public safety bureau. 12/
Surely @PortlandPolice expects to be obeyed even when they’re not quite sure what they’re doing or why. That’s not how the law works though. And it surely that isn’t a business model that #PDX taxpayers and business owners should be willing to fund without accountability. 13/
When you’re a hammer 
everything looks like a nail. We need a new tool. PPB isn’t working. It’s just hammering Portlanders and charging top dollar for it.
/14
everything looks like a nail. We need a new tool. PPB isn’t working. It’s just hammering Portlanders and charging top dollar for it./14
You may wonder, if hundreds of days of protest, a pandemic, a budget crisis, and a weather emergency don’t alter @PortlandPolice’s actions what will?
At a minimum, it’s contract negotiation time. City Council must revamp ALL of it; cut, slash, reassign, new job descriptions.
/15
At a minimum, it’s contract negotiation time. City Council must revamp ALL of it; cut, slash, reassign, new job descriptions.
/15
No more excuses. No more hiding from the facts we see and experience everyday. People shouldn’t have to dumpster dive to eat. And we shouldn’t have to fight city officials to create safety. We do not have to live like this. We can make different public policy decisions now. /16
Before anyone jumps in with: “Freddies and PPB were just trying to protect the public from food borne pathogens.” Just don’t. Thanks. -end-
