PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As many as 300 people were gathered inside the barricades at the Red House in North Portland on Friday, with a cache of weapons and a desire not to be prosecuted if they end the occupation that has blocked homes in the Humboldt neighborhood for 5 days.
On Friday, Gabe Johnson, the director of the Coalition to Save Portland, told KOIN 6 News he went into the autonomous zone Friday afternoon to speak with people directly connected with the occupation. He said that armed security for the protesters had significantly increased.
“A lot of the security you will see inside the zone is people with long arms, 9MM military Glocks and what-not along with stashes on the ground, either rocks, bottles, things to throw at the police, you know, if they decide to come in,” Johnson said.
“One of the things that I saw immediately when I went in was just how fortified it was, even a day later, probably double the armaments, double the security.”
Johnson said he also spoke with nearby residents who said they are concerned the streets are blocked to emergency vehicles. They’re also concerned about the concentration of weapons.
“You have untrained people with a cache of guns, a lot of guns,” he said. “At any point a weapon could go off.”
In a statement Friday afternoon Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office said, “If diplomacy and de-escalation fail, we are prepared for other alternatives because the Mayor will not let an armed occupation stand in the City of Portland.”
Johnson said he eventually talked to 2 women who said they could speak on behalf of the Kinney family.
“One of the things that they wanted was a letter from PPB stating that anyone that’s in the autonomous zone will not be arrested or prosecuted if they start to take down the barricades,” he said.
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December 12, 2020 at 10:29PM
https://www.koin.com/news/protests/red-house-occupation-north-mississippi-avenue-day-5-12122020/
Red House latest: Increased security, cache of weapons behind barricade - KOIN.com
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