• Home
  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Authors
  • Advertise
  • Categories
    • Archives
    • Chaplain
    • Crime & Controversy
    • Community
    • Cop Humor
    • Editorial
    • Op-ed
    • Gear & Technology
    • Investigations
    • Laws & Legal
    • Leadership
    • News
    • Officer Down
    • On Duty
    • Tactics
  • Network
    • Illinois Network
    • Minneapolis Network
    • Tulsa Network
    • Wauwatosa Network
No Result
View All Result
Law Officer
Law Officer
No Result
View All Result

Portland city commissioner blames police ‘saboteurs’ for setting fires during riots

July 23, 2020
Law ObyLaw Officer
in News
Portland city commissioner

Portland City Commissioner JoAnn Hardesty. (Wikipedia Commons)

1.2k
SHARES
5.1k
VIEWS
Share and speak up for justice, law & order...

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said Wednesday she didn’t believe protesters in Portland are setting fires but that police are sending in “saboteurs” to create the strife. Her unsubstantiated claim drew immediate pushback from police, which caused her to later backpedal.

Hardesty spoke amid the growing city violence as federal agents have been deployed to protect their interests, such as the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse. She also took aim at Mayor Ted Wheeler.

Hardesty said she believes federal officers are targeting sanctuary cities, The Oregonian reported.

“I asked the mayor, ‘Who do you think they’re grabbing off the street?’ Well, ah, ah,” she said, attempting to mimic Wheeler stammering in response to her question.

“And he says, ‘Well, a sanctuary city just means we don’t work with ICE.’ And I said, ‘well, who do you think the border patrol works with?’ So we have an ignorance at the highest levels in our city government,” she said. “People who just assume that if the police say it happened, it really happened.”

Hardesty’s comments came three days after she issued a statement via Twitter, telling Wheeler that if he couldn’t control the Police Bureau, he should allow her to replace him as police commissioner. Wheeler responded that he planned to continue in the position during this “period of transformation.”

  • BLACK MARINE CORPS VET HOLDS US FLAG HIGH AMID RIOTS IN PORTLAND; GETS TRAILED HOME BY ANTIFA

Her remarks were made during a video conference “Emergency National Briefing,” sponsored by the Portland-based Western States Center. She spoke after Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley.

The outspoken Hardesty blamed police for creating strife on the city’s streets by sending in provocateurs.

“I want people to know that I do not believe there’s any protesters in Portland that are setting fires, that are creating crisis. I absolutely believe it’s police action, and they’re sending saboteurs and provocateurs into peaceful crowds so they justify their inhumane treatment of people who are standing up for their rights.”

However, the police antagonist did not offer any information to back up her allegations, The Oregonian reported.

Officer Daryl Turner, president of the Portland rank-and-file police union, quickly responded: “Really? Really? That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

“With statements like this, it has become completely clear that Commissioner Hardesty is part of the problem in Portland,” Turner said in a statement. “Every one of the many videos we have seen confirms that small groups of rioters are starting the fires and trying to burn down buildings. Even a quick search of Twitter shows rioters setting the fires and boldly claiming responsibility.”

By Wednesday evening, Hardesty issued a statement apologizing, but referenced similar statements on fires she made to another publication, Marie Claire, not the remarks she issued during the national briefing carried live on Facebook.

“Today I let my emotions get the most of me during council and the comment I made to the press. But I’m angry, frustrated, and horrified by what has happened these past 50 days. I’m angry that even as a City Commissioner, I am coming up against countless barriers from protecting Portlanders from the deluge of tear gas, pepper spray and other munitions on a nightly basis.”

  • DEREK CHAUVIN CHARGED WITH TAX EVASION

She said she drew from her experience as a child of the civil rights movement that “people have been sent to infiltrate these spaces to create incidents that justify enhanced police actions…I appreciate the reminder that as a public servant I need to be careful making statements out of misinformation, and I take this to heart.”

Turner, who represents rank-and-file officers, detectives and sergeants for the Portland Police Association, said he has invited elected officials to stand at the front lines with police officers during protests, but no City Council member has taken him up on it.

“Politicians bent on power, perpetuating misinformation and untruths, are just as guilty of using their privilege to hijack this movement as the rioters who are committing violent acts, burning, and looting,” he said.

 



  • Bio
Law Officer

Law Officer

Law Officer is the only major law enforcement publication and website owned and operated by law enforcement. This unique facet makes Law Officer much more than just a publishing company but is a true advocate for the profession.

Share and speak up for justice, law & order...
Tags: Daryl TurnerJo Ann HardestyPortland City Commissioner

Bookmark LawOfficer.com

Get away from social media: Bookmark LawOfficer.com or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Join the Law Officer Local Network

Local police organizations are signing up every week to push back against political nonsense and news media myths...

Follow your Law Officer Local Network:

  • Illinois
  • Minneapolis, MN
  • Tulsa, OK
  • Wauwatosa, WI
Law Officer on gab

Join us on gab.com—fight censorship!

Related Posts

Portland commissioner

Portland commissioner said most 911 calls are unnecessary, then calls 911 when Lyft cancels her ride

November 11, 2020
9.1k
Portland officer

Portland officer charged after striking looter with vehicle during chase

October 23, 2020
3.3k
Portland mayor

Portland riots lead to record overtime for many cops

October 19, 2020
2k
150 rounds

Portland records deadliest month in more than 30 years

August 3, 2020
3.3k
Portland Police

Faces of Hate … Portland Police Union Fed up With City Leadership Over Antifa Antics

July 2, 2019
3.6k
Load More
Book: The Courageous Police Leader

Latest Articles

Michigan officer resigns

Michigan officer resigns amid internal investigation for racially insensitive social media post

March 3, 2021
1.7k

Murder rates surged in 90% of America’s largest cities in 2020

March 3, 2021
1.4k
immigrants

108 immigrants entering country illegally test positive for coronavirus

March 3, 2021
1.3k
big city chiefs

Biden administration locks ICE Alerts Twitter account

March 3, 2021
1.9k
Investigation

Texas suspects arrested on 150 counts of voter fraud

March 2, 2021
2.5k
Black police officer

Black police officer fired after using N-word

March 2, 2021
5.5k
Load More

Liberty University offers affordable tuition and a 25% discount for law officers and first responders.

LA Police Gear

Must Read

California man

Advocates insist offender rehabilitation programs work—Are they right?

February 26, 2021
1.5k
Mainstream Media Fake News

Many liberals mistakenly believe 10,000 ‘unarmed blacks’ were killed by police in a year

February 25, 2021
6.1k
Breonna Taylor case

The Breonna Taylor Story: How American jurisprudence is bending the rule of law

February 24, 2021
8.7k
Capitol Police

Capitol Police Union Votes ‘No-Confidence’ in Top Leaders

February 16, 2021
2.2k

Too little, too late: Minneapolis City Council reverses ‘defunding’—offers $6M for police recruiting

February 15, 2021
7.7k
Load More

Most Popular

Oklahoma City police officer charged with manslaughter—after shooting knife-wielding attacker

March 1, 2021
84.2k
Orisha Land

Black liberation autonomous zone — ‘Orisha Land’ — forming in Austin

March 2, 2021
21.7k

Ithaca Mayor plans to replace police department with civilians

February 28, 2021
19.9k

Alabama Chief thanks Illinois Governor for sending him officers after police reform bill is passed

February 24, 2021
55.4k
gun shop shooting

Louisiana police release shocking video of deadly gun shop shooting

February 22, 2021
30.8k

More from Law Officer

  • Archives (12,812)
  • Chaplain (72)
  • Community (125)
  • Cop Humor (11)
  • Crime & Controversy (48)
  • Editorial (431)
  • Gear & Technology (63)
  • Investigations (2,311)
  • Laws & Legal (1,245)
  • Leadership (465)
  • News (5,635)
  • Officer Down (773)
  • On Duty (46)
  • Op-ed (585)
  • Tactics (402)

Stand up & speak out!

Gab with us—fight censorship!

Telegram us!

Submit your Letter to the Editor

Law Officer

© 2021 LawOfficer.com

LawOfficer.com

  • Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Corrections
  • Contact

Speak up for justice, law & order

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Law Officer Networks
    • Illinois Network
    • Minneapolis Network
    • Tulsa Network
    • Wauwatosa Network

© 2021 LawOfficer.com