Organizers cancel 82nd Avenue of Roses Parade, after protesters threaten to shut it down (Portland: appointed, neighborhoods)

[KJoe11]

This year's parade was once again set to feature the Multnomah County Republican Party as one of the many groups slated to march, but that inclusion drew ire from some of the city's left-leaning protest groups.


This is important for people to know who are entertaining the idea of moving here. The local government is quite flaccid in their response and tactics in dealing with these types of groups.

[Minervah]

I wanted to read more about this so I GOOGLED it just to make certain it wasn't another one of those fake news stories. There are quite a few links verify it.

Organizers cancel 82nd Avenue of Roses Parade, after protesters threaten to shut it down | OregonLive.com

I've attended the Rose Parade many times and marched in the Starlight Parade once. I am so sorry Portland, that's all I can say about this.

[PDXNative2Houston]

It appears based on the news I've read that this was due to the inclusion of some republican group in the parade? I mean come on PDX'ers...I could understand if the parade included a designated hate group or some fringe individuals like David Duke or Milo...but threatening to shutdown an entire parade, especially one that is going to highlight one of the poorer/negatively viewed areas of town, just because there will be some republican party members?

I'm certainly not conservative or republican but that's taking things too far imo.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Unbelievable.
What has Portland become.
Letting a bunch of threatening idiots begin to destroy the Rose Festival and all that goes along with it with just one email.

This was the cowards easy way out.
Avoid any kind of confrontation.

If you kids can't play nice together, nobody gets to play.
All of you go to your rooms, NOW!

Wonder if they will shut down the kids parade, the Starlight Parade, the Rose Parade, or any other function downtown because their *might* be protests?
I think not.

Pretty soon people will get sick of this stuff and start kicking protesters arses just to get their lives back to normal.

Can't we get over this political crap for once and just enjoy ourselves?

[Dwayne Lassiter]

Yeah, pretty stupid. But this isn't THE downtown Rose Parade, is it? Who does it? I think it's about ten years old, and was started as some commercial effort to take pride in 82nd Avenue. Pride in 82nd Avenue? Um? Let's start a Halsey parade, and while we're at it, let's do a Killingsworth parade.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Dwayne Lassiter

Yeah, pretty stupid. But this isn't THE downtown Rose Parade, is it? Who does it? I think it's about ten years old, and was started as some commercial effort to take pride in 82nd Avenue. Pride in 82nd Avenue? Um? Let's start a Halsey parade, and while we're at it, let's do a Killingsworth parade.

You're right about it not being THE parade. But if they can take down this one, how safe are the other parades? Ten years is a pretty good period of time to be able to hold down a successful event. To see it obliterated in this manner is just pretty depressing.

There was a time back when many Portland neighborhoods had their individual parades and/or celebrations. Now one that had successfully brought back the tradition for over a decade has been bullied into canceling theirs.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

82nd avenue and the east side really need something like this parade.

It might sound stupid to you, but it's actually a very positive thing.

I'ts also a long straight route, so it's a great parade route.

82nd Avenue is also called the "Avenue of the Roses".
What better place to include the east side in the Rose Festival?

These extreme left leaning protest groups (even if they aren't liberal or democrat) are hurting the liberal left and democrats much much more than they are helping them.

With their stupid antics, they are almost guaranteeing conservative right victories in the coming elections.

People are getting fed up with them, and it won't be long until people won't put up with it anymore.

[Metlakatla]

Just an FYI -- press release issued by the Direct Action Alliance:

For Immediate Release:
Statement on Avenue of Roses parade cancellation:
We condemn the erroneous reporting by mainstream news media outlets that link our organization to the letter that is being cited as the cause for the cancellation of this parade.
Direct Action Alliance and those affiliated with this group did not publish, produce or distribute the letter in question.
We are members of this community and like the Republican Party, our members have participated in past parades without incident.
It is unfortunate that some people choose to blame our organization for the cancellation of this event.
Unfortunately, the Trump regime has emboldened fringe and neo-nazi elements who did not traditionally march amongst the Republican contingent but who are now welcomed into the the ranks. Unfortunately, the "authorities" within the Republican party have decided to provide a safe-space for this kind of hate and discrimination.
This could have been resolved if any other "authority" (either within the republican party, the parade organizers, or the city) had stepped in to prevent known neo-nazis from politicizing the event and intimidating the local community, one of the most diverse in Portland.
We are disappointed that the Multnomah Republicans planned to allow a neo-nazi hate group march in their event, through the very community that said hate group has previously terrorized.
(http://www.wweek.com/…/youre-g...nt-men…/)
We are saddened that the organizers felt that they had to cancel the event because the Republican party refused to separate themselves from these violent neo-nazis.
(http://www.portlandmercury.com/&#823...gon-str…)
We will continue be a voice for non-violent resistance and we will always defend our community.

It really isn't as simple as Oregon Live makes it out to be.

ETA it's my understanding that the iii percenters and others of their ilk were planning on being a part of the parade under the guise of the Mutnomah County Republican Party.

[Luckystrike1]

I think it was wrong to cancel the parade. They should have continued with it, and had harmful rioting broke out then arrest them all on charges of terrorism. That's exactly what it would have been because harm is intentional. "Harm" is always intentional in these stupid riots.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Just an FYI -- press release issued by the Direct Action Alliance:



It really isn't as simple as Oregon Live makes it out to be.

ETA it's my understanding that the iii percenters and others of their ilk were planning on being a part of the parade under the guise of the Mutnomah County Republican Party.

Thank you for this. The East side is a mixed bag and I am not surprised by this.