PORTLAND -- While Occupy Portland protesters planned for several rallies Tuesday, police told KGW they were as prepared as they've ever been for a May Day march.
May Day has long been International Workers' Right Day, and has been celebrated by labor and immigrants' rights group. This year the Occupy movement is joining the demonstrations.
Background: Thousands rally on May Day in Portland
Occupy Portland has listed several May Day events on its website, starting with a student strike at Portland Public Schools Headquarters at 7:30 a.m. A "Land Liberation and Space Reclamation" was scheduled to start in Woodlawn Park at 9 a.m.
A May Day General Strike rally was scheduled at 11:30 in the 100 block of W Burnside, followed by a march the group called "An unpermitted event, 'Friendly to otherwise unfriendly tactics.'”
The group said a march planned in the South Park Blocks at 3:30 p.m. would be "'family-friendly,' permitted and legal," but police said Sunday no permits had been filed.
A two-hour parade was expected to start around 4:30 p.m. The planned route goes north on Broadway, east on Burnside Street, south on Southwest Second Avenue, west on Columbia Street and then back up to the South Park Blocks. (See parade route map above.)
Sgt. Pete Simpson said bike and horse patrols would be out and extra officers would be standing by. He also said police were working with business owners to ensure protesters could not occupy any buildings.
"The Portland Police Bureau has expressed concerns to organizers about unaffiliated groups attempting to disrupt the permitted event and engaging in illegal behavior," Lt. Robert King explained in a statement to the media Monday. "Those who willingly commit illegal acts must be aware of the consequences of those actions, which include requests to cease illegal activity, citations, or arrests."
