July 2, 2020 
 
House Speaker Tina Kotek 
900 Court St. NE, Rm. 269 
Salem, OR 97301 
 
Speaker Kotek: 
 
In response to a riot that broke out in your legislative district in Portland the evening of June 30, 2020, you wrote in a July 1, 
2020 letter to Mayor Wheeler that, “What needed to be protected last night? An empty office building?” If you were 
referencing the Portland Police Association office, how do you know the office was empty? Were you aware that two PPA 
officials, including myself, were in the office that evening? Our personal safety is important.  
 
Were you aware that the PPA office is situated next to a number of small businesses owned or operated by people of color? 
Their lives and their livelihoods are important. Were you aware that the PPA office is also surrounded by homes and diverse 
residents? Their lives and their homes are important. 
 
Recent events tell us that a small number of individuals have hijacked the racial equity platform of peaceful protests for their 
own chaotic agendas; they simply want to destroy our City and to hurt people. Did you speak up about the unacceptable 
actions the evening of June 25, 2020 when those individuals barricaded the doors of North Precinct and tried to burn down the 
police facility while officers and civilians were in the building? The safety of those innocent people is important. 
 
Were you aware that in addition to trying to burn down an occupied police precinct that evening, that those same people 
damaged and burned nearby businesses, most of which are owned by people of color? Their lives and their livelihoods are 
important. 
 
These violent individuals who you so vigorously defend do not have the right to riot, loot, burn, and destroy our City. These 
violent individuals do not have the right to hurt our community members. And they definitely don’t have right to take away 
from the message that so profoundly needs to be heard. Their illegal behavior is not important and not worthy of your defense, 
especially when compared to the safety and livelihoods of Portlanders and our communities of color.  
 
The good people of Portland are getting tired of this. Ron Herndon has always advocated for equal rights for all people. In 
response to the recent chaos and destruction in our City, he wrote: “It has nothing to do with helping Black people. These 
hoodlums are needlessly scaring neighbors and their children. The cops have been called every name but a child of God. The 
police have shown more restraint than I could ever muster up.”  
 
When this statement is made by someone with the credibility of Mr. Herndon, those who haven’t lived in the same skin should 
listen before they speak. 
 
Sincerely,

Daryl Turner
President