PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Mayor Charlie Hales found himself
in the middle of a protest about police brutality Friday night.
A few dozen people made their way from Holladay Park to
downtown as part of an International Day Against Police Brutality.
Hales said he was observing the protest in person to learn
how police officers respond to protests.
The group of protesters wore bandanas, hurled profanities
and insults at the media and police officers.
About 50 people weaved their way through the streets of
Northeast and downtown Portland for more than two hours. They yelled, chanted
and at one point they barked like dogs.
Hales said, just as the protesters have the right to free
speech, the community has the right to stay safe through the help of police
officers.
"The police bureau has to calibrate a response. People
have a First Amendment right to say whatever they want to say and walk down the
sidewalks of the city and say it," he said. "So they have to
calibrate their response to what people are doing and whether they're breaking
the law. This group is not breaking the law so the police bureau is monitoring
them and standing by.
According to organizers, this international protest against
police brutality began 16 years ago in Switzerland.