White Male Privilege Disrupting Portland City Council Meetings, Commissioner Says

Two weeks into her term, Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty says a small group of disruptive white men are frightening people away from participating at City Hall.

“I am concerned about how privilege, and specifically white male privilege, is limiting the public’s access to City Hall,” she said in a written statement sent out Tuesday night that she also read at Wednesday’s meeting. “There’s a chilling effect on persons who are unaccustomed to coming to City Hall to have their voices heard when they see and experience the disruption that seems to be the new normal.”

Though Hardesty did not identify anyone by name, several men who identify as police observers — “cop watchers” is a term they use for themselves — and citizen journalists have disrupted Portland City Council meetings in the weeks since she took office.

The men are not affiliated with the better-known grassroots police reform organization Portland Copwatch, and two have been subject to stalking orders for harassing city officials.

Read more: https://www.opb.org/news/article/portland-oregon-city-council-jo-ann-hardesty-white-privilege/