STATEMENT FROM COMMISSIONER JO ANN HARDESTY REGARDING PPB TEXTS WITH PATRIOT PRAYER LEADER
News Release from Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty
Posted on FlashAlert: February 14th, 2019 5:09 PM
I am not shocked, and I am not surprised at today’s reporting of Lt. Jeff Niiya’s collaboration with Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson over text to provide aid and support for their hate marches. This story, like many that have come before it, simply confirms what many in the community have already known – there are members of the Portland police force who work in collusion with right-wing extremists.
The time for indignation and feigned outrage is past, and the time for meaningful accountability is here. There are many examples of the Mayor and the City Council standing by, wringing our hands, wishing we could take action. Today is a new opportunity to demand the policing our community deserves – policing that treats all community members with respect and allows for peaceful protest free of intimidation and bias.
We have failed before, but we do not need to continue to fail. The incidents we hear about are not “one off’s” but everyday examples of a broken policing system in Portland that must be addressed. I look forward to supporting actions of accountability. I ask that the Mayor and Police Chief Outlaw take swift action and I will also be here to demand justice if that call is not met.
I stand with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and other community groups who ask for the following:
- The City accelerates the Western States designed training that came out of the recent resolution condemning white supremacy and
- An independent investigation into collaboration between Portland Police and alt-right/white supremacists groups and individuals, with the investigator being chosen by community groups
Contact Info:
hardestymedia@portlandoregon.gov
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