March 18, 2003
'Operation Safe City'
Not wanting to be left behind by the Department of Homeland Security's "Operation Liberty Shield" (a name which sounds even more like a maxipad than did "Operation Enduring Freedom"), the City of Portland is preparing "Operation Safe City" for the onset of war:
"We're refining our plans," Chief Mark Kroeker said after a 25-minute private meeting with city staff. "We're making sure we’re thinking about all the things we should be thinking about."
The federal government raised the national terror alert to orange, or "high," as President Bush's deadline for Saddam Hussein to surrender began to run down. In the past, orange alerts have generated stepped-up security at Portland International Airport, at government buildings and at "soft targets" such as water reservoirs.
...
Kroeker would not say earlier Tuesday what the heightened alert would mean in Portland. The city is prepared to "operate according to a very specific plan" when a war begins, he said. He would not say whether the police bureau or the city would assemble officers or resources ahead of war.
But it's not just about terrorism. "Operation Safe City" is also about preparing for war opponents:
The plan also will address the mass protests planned for the days after the United States launches a war against Iraq. Thousands of demonstrators jammed downtown on Saturday; another mass protest has been scheduled for 4 p.m. the day war starts or the day after. Also planned: a Critical Ride bike protest and a walkout by university students.
"You can go on the Web and find Web sites where a lot of that conversation and a lot of that chatter continues," Mayor Vera Katz said. "We need to be prepared for that."
I have to say that I'm not particularly fond of Vera's use of the word "chatter" here, since it's a term that we've come to know over the past 18 months regarding intelligence on terrorist activity. And the last thing we need is any even minor rhetorical connection between terrorism and protest -- even direct action protest.
There's more on preparations for protests via KATU:
Authorities in Portland are meeting to decide how far they'll go in keeping streets clear once war breaks out and those protestors hit the streets.
The question is how much force the mayor will authorize police to use to keep protestors from blocking streets considered vital in emergencies.
KATU also, however, wrongly asserts that no pepperspray was used on the Morrison Bridge this past Saturday, so don't count on them for much accuracy in terms of details. For example, they mention Portland Indymedia but provide the wrong URL. What do they pay people for over at KATU?
Comments (3)
The One True b!X on 18 Mar 2003
Now the question is, can I get into the 3:00 PM press conference at City Hall where Mayor Katz, Chief Kroeker, Fire Chief Wilson, and Charles Mathews III of the FBI will be discussing this plan?
The One True b!X on 18 Mar 2003
Hmm. Unfortunately, that link to KGW now points to an entirely new story about this afternoon's press conference.
cYnder on 02 Apr 2004
KATU seems to have pulled their story. Way to pressure the main-stream!