Portland Student Solidarity Protest Official Statement
Tonight, on November 21st, 2016, we organized a protest for students across the Portland metro
area to show solidarity in the wake of the election. Our message was one of peaceful resistance
and empowerment. We spoke about long-term involvement, our generation’s message and
announced a new potential group.
This event was both created and organized by Portland high school students. We decided to
reach out to local organizations to assist us in planning and spreading the word of the event. Two
organizers from Portland’s Resistance, Gregory McKelvey and Kathryn Stevens, kindly agreed
to help. They provided advice when needed and helped amplify our voices. However, the protest
remained a youth-driven action.
Yesterday, the Portland Police Bureau fabricated their own narrative. They claimed outside
groups were prompting students to get involved in dangerous protests. This is a lie that was
seemingly meant to discourage youth from participating in a nonviolent demonstration.
Our district, Portland Public Schools bought into this falsified narrative. Despite clear
information and numerous sources saying that our event was peaceful and created by students,
they sent out a message to all district parents encouraging to keep their students away from the
protest. Instead of letting their own students’ voices be heard, they allowed police propaganda to
take control. As a result, parents became hesitant in letting their students attend and our turnout
diminished.
Following a powerful rally at Holladay Park, we took to the streets to march. Although our group
consisted nearly entirely minors simply showing solidarity and resistance in a peaceful manner,
police aggressively blocked roadways and attempted to intimidate us. Still, everyone exemplified
restraint and no violence or destruction of property took place.
It was clear from the start that the police were singling out Greg and Kat. We witnessed them
pushing the two around and trying to separate them from the group. Police also rammed their
bikes and motorcycles into us, threatened us, hit and pushed us, ran over our feet and yelled in
our faces. Meanwhile, the Portland Police Bureau was tweeting their concern for the safety of
students. Do not let them tell you they were protecting us tonight. The only real “danger” we
experienced tonight were the actions of the police.
This all came to a climax when cops deliberately separated Gregory and Kathryn from our march
as they were doing nothing but supporting our peaceful demonstration. A large police officer
pinned Greg down and put him in handcuffs. Meanwhile, as Kat was hugging Greg, the police
grabbed and threw her onto the ground. Male police officers pulled and twisted her arms and
began violently touching her and ripping off her jacket. She screamed in pain and shouted a

 request to be patted down by a female officer, but the male cops ignored it and continued to
violate her. It has later been reported that Kat's hand was allegedly broken during the arrest.
The scene left many of us in shock. Although we recognize that this type of brutality occurs
every day, especially to people of color, seeing this unprovoked violence unfold firsthand was a
new experience for many.
Soon after, we headed to the police station to show our solidarity for those who were arrested.
We sat on the curb in front of the station as officers chained the doors shut. They took pictures
and selfies of us as they laughed and grinned with glee. These cops, Officer Taylor and Officer
Tyler found the violent suppression of free speech to be a laughing matter. As our protest ended
and students began to walk away, the police grabbed a final victim, known activist Micah
Rhodes who was simply walking on the sidewalk peacefully, and put him under arrest.
Tonight’s events are unacceptable. What occurred were planned-out, tactical arrests. Now, Kat,
Greg and Micah are being held as political prisoners. This is police tyranny. It is an unsuccessful
attempt to drown out the voices of students who are scared of this clearly oppressive police
bureau and government. Portland Public Schools and many media sources are only covering up
the police’s abuses by furthering the false narrative of Greg, Kat and Micah being outside
agitators encouraging students to unlawfully protest.
We, as students, refuse to be silenced. We stand with tonight’s arrestees and pledge to do
whatever we can to support them. We call on Portland Public Schools to consider whether they
want to continue to take the side of an oppressive police bureau or stand in solidarity with their
students and staff attempting to make our schools safe places for all. We ask that the media
report truthfully from all perspectives and not be swayed by false accounts of events. We
demand that the Portland Police Bureau drop all charges against Gregory McKelvey, Kathryn
Stevens and Micah Rhodes and examine who it is they truly serve and protect.
We will not be intimidated. We will continue our fight against bigotry. We will resist.
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Callie Quinn-Ward, Dylan Palmer, Finn Hawley-Blue and other student organizers