Portland Police Union Chief Criticized for Seeking Ballot Initiative Restricting Right to Assemble
Portland Police Association president Daryl Turner is among a list of petitioners who hope to introduce a 2022 ballot initiative to limit the right to assemble.
Portland Police Association president Daryl Turner is among a list of petitioners who hope to introduce a 2022 ballot initiative to limit the right to assemble. Oregon Live reports that Turner is joined by the likes of police union attorney Anil Karnia and Rep. Jeff Barker in the initiative titled "Protect free speech and safe streets."
It's unclear why the initiative is titled as much when it seeks to violate the First Amendment.
The initiative comes as protests continue throughout the city of Portland, with countless individuals taking to the streets to protest against police brutality and systemic racism. Many suggestions to establish more thorough restrictions to citizens assembling in a public space, with a 10 p.m. noise ordinance for such demonstrations within a quarter-mile of residences and midnight elsewhere among them. If protesters were to violate any of the proposed restrictions, the initiative will make it so local governments liable for damages and litigation.
It's worth pointing out that a good chunk of the initiative is already being used by authorities, who have justified declaring an unlawful assembly or riot for a multitude of reasons. Blocking streets, use of laser pointers, fireworks, fires, and damaging private or public property have already been used as reasons to demand demonstrators disperse.
While most of the initiative admittedly sounds pretty awful, it would also require officers to display identification when interacting with any protests. Officers without identification have been an issue among protesters for weeks in Portland. Authorities will also have to draft detailed policies regarding the munitions that officers can use on protesters, in theory more clearly defining the criteria for their use.
See reactions to the proposed initiative below.
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