Thank you all for supporting the regional aspect of this coalition by
including Salem in our week of action. The intent of this situationer is
to paint a picture of what solidarity could look like and to give you an
idea what things have been like here over the last several months. Salem
is relatively demobilized and in need of support that will help us
educate our community and strengthen existing networks. We respect a
diversity of tactics and practice community self-defense, but we have
found recently that because of our small numbers and because of the
impact of far-right violence, prioritizing community-building over
direct confrontation is much more realistic and in line with our needs.
Many of our local organizers are from marginalized groups, are disabled,
and/or are parents. We would like everyone coming down to support to
keep in mind that the long-term impact of direct confrontation is that
the right tends to target these organizers. We need to oppose fascism
and also keep their continued safety at the forefront of our minds.
The militia presence in Salem (and the complicity of law enforcement) is
a big issue. Here’s a brief rundown of recent events:

May 2020—We saw our first major armed presence in downtown Salem.
Multiple militia groups gathered to support a salon owner who was in
violation of the state’s “Stay Home, Save Lives” shutdown order.
End of May—Militia groups returned and were present outside the salon
and several other businesses for the better part of a week in order to
discourage “looters and rioters.” During this time, Salem PD also used
teargas on protesters for the first time in local history and were
filmed coordinating with the militia members to protect them from our
curfew.
July 4th—Proud Boys joined Salem “patriots” and militia members at the
capital en masse. Again, law enforcement (OSP) was filmed being very
friendly with local militia members.
Since the 4th—We have had far-right events and/or militia presence
around the city on a weekly basis. There was a church group meeting at
the riverfront nightly throughout the summer that was guarded by militia
members, and frequent “patriot” events at the capital on weekends.
Militia members have made a habit of stalking BLM and antifascist
events.
August 1st—We held a family-friendly open mic event. As families were
leaving, several militia members followed an organizer’s family to their
car and maced them as they drove away, harming their five-year-old
daughter.
September 15th—At a reopen Oregon rally, several comrades were assaulted
by the militia group TAPS.
September 7th—The “patriot” caravan from PDX brought intense violence.
Antifascists were brutally attacked and a member of our local press was
hospitalized with a concussion after being specifically targeted by a
militia member because of his reporting. “Patriots” were heard/seen to
be hunting in their vehicles for “antifa in black” and coordinating with
radios to do so. Several members were pursued after the confrontation,
and they were in vehicles looking for us.
More recently—Proud Boys came a few weeks ago we held a park cleanup. We
have footage of them hunting for antifascists in the park.
We don’t know what things will look like after the election, but we
expect a large militia and/or Proud Boy presence yet again, especially
since this event is being advertised relatively far in advance. At this
point the general consensus is that we need to be putting our energy
into building with one another and shifting public perception because
Salem is so conservative/liberal and we are so exhausted. We have a
security crew that patrols our events but are largely avoiding direct
confrontation. At a recent event when a member of the public commented
about how scary the “people in black” were, one of our members explained
how we are there to keep the event safe and this individual went away
feeling comforted. That’s the kind of interaction we need more of.
Please come willing to talk to our nervous neighbors who think “Antifa”
is scary and violent and help us show them that we care about the
community.  We also feel that demonstrating that we have regional
solidarity will be helpful in reducing future violence in that they know
we can call in comrades as needed. This action will also help to re
enforce the narrative that antifascism is NOT limited to only Portland,
that every region of the state opposes them.   We absolutely respect
self-defense as a necessary tactic but want visitors to keep in mind
that intentionally provoking violence will likely harm locals in the
long-run. Defensive tactics and making sure folks can get to and from
the event and have safe access to restrooms etc is our primary focus.
These groups have targeted families and specifically shown up at our
family and kid-centered events to stalk and intimidate us. Please keep
in mind that after everyone goes home, the couple dozen of us who focus
on security here will be left on our own to deal with any retribution.

Pacific Northwest Community Action Network

(Red de acción comunitaria del pacifico del noroeste)

Semana de Acción: Del 4 al 11 de noviembre, 2020

Una coalición comunitaria de base amplia pide a la gente del noroeste del Pacífico que tomen medidas en los lugares de trabajo, vecindarios y grupos de ayuda mutua para oponerse al autoritarismo y la violencia por motivos raciales a raíz de las próximas elecciones. Una protesta de apertura para la semana de acción se llevará a cabo a las 2 pm el miércoles 4 de noviembre en North Park Blocks, donde formaremos un espacio integral durante todo el día, seguido de una marcha que comenzará a las 5 pm.

El gobierno federal nos está fallando. A estas alturas, todos somos muy conscientes de los recortes de impuestos y las ganancias récord acumuladas por los ricos mientras el resto de este país lucha por sobrevivir a la pandemia; su incapacidad en solucionar la institución  fundamentalmente corrupta de la policía la cual ha sido responsable de destruir vidas y comunidades negras y morenas; su indiferencia ante la crisis climática. Sabemos que se nos ha dado a elegir entre un candidato presidencial que anima la creciente corriente de odio de la extrema derecha en Estados Unidos y uno que no hará nada para detenerlo. La fecha del 3 de noviembre se vislumbra en nuestras mentes.

Si bien el resultado de las elecciones aún es incierto, Trump ha estado manipulando abiertamente el proceso electoral; encendiendo teorías de conspiración sobre la votación por correo, pidiendo intimidación en las encuestas electorales y eliminando las listas de votantes en todo el país. Trump ha estado reprimiendo ferozmente la votación mientras indica que no cederá el poder en caso de su derrota. Con grupos paramilitares de extrema derecha y Proud Boys “preparados” para apoyar el robo de una elección de Trump, nuestras comunidades deben actuar rápidamente.

Debemos organizarnos y enviar un mensaje claro de que no toleraremos la privación del derecho al voto o el robo de elecciones, ni toleraremos un sistema bipartidista que sirva sólo a los ricos y que, en cambio, estamos comprometidos con la construcción de una sociedad verdaderamente justa y equitativa. Pedimos a los miembros de la comunidad urbana y rural, inquilinos, trabajadores, grupos de afinidad, sindicatos y organizaciones locales de cualquier tipo que se unan a nosotros en una ola de acción comunitaria a partir del 4 de noviembre. No podemos pagar el alquiler, por lo que no pagaremos el alquiler. No podemos trabajar con seguridad, así que no trabajaremos. Si pertenece a un grupo de iglesia o asociación de vecinos, un sindicato o una Grange (cooperativa), hable con sus amigos y comunidad sobre lo que puede hacer para luchar por el tipo de cambio que no vendrá de ninguna de las partes.

Al cerrar “operar como de costumbre”, defender nuestras comunidades y construir una red de proyectos de ayuda mutua y asambleas vecinales, podemos formar nuevas estructuras de apoyo comunitario para sostener la oposición a largo plazo. Podemos trabajar para atender nosotros mismos las necesidades de nuestras comunidades. Nos sumamos a la campaña de  People ‘s Strike (Huelga Popular) en pedir una resistencia continua en todo el país después de las elecciones y hacemos eco de los llamados a la resistencia internacional contra el fascismo en la primera semana de noviembre. Estamos en una crisis, actuemos como tal.

Únase a nosotros para una protesta de apertura a las 2 pm el miércoles 4 de noviembre en North Park Blocks, seguido de una marcha a las 5 pm. En este día y durante el resto de la “Semana de Acción” hasta el 11 de noviembre, hacemos un llamado a la gente del Noroeste del Pacífico a planificar acciones unidas con los siguientes principios.

  1. ¡No Trump! No robo electoral
  2. Black Lives Matter (Las vidas negras importan) – Ponga fin a la policía racista
  3. Descolonización: esto es tierra indígena
  4. Ayuda mutua: recursos compartidos
  5. Organización de los vecindarios: desarrolle asambleas de vecindarios
  6. Tome acción directa: interrumpa el “negocio de costumbre”
  7. La vivienda es un derecho – Resista los desalojos
  8. Justicia reproductiva: defienda el derecho a elegir
  9. Huelga por el poder: nuestro trabajo es nuestro
  10. Construya conexiones urbano-rurales
  11. En solidaridad con todos los pueblos oprimidos
  12. Nos protegemos, nos defendemos
  13. Justicia migratoria: ponga fin a la criminalización de los migrantes
  14. Apoye la liberación mundial: detenga la agenda fascista global

Por el pueblo,

Popular Mobilization (PopMob), Symbiosis PDX, The Youth Liberation Front, Revolutionary Abolitionist Group, Willamette Action Collective, Portland Democratic Socialists of America, Rural Organizing Project, Direct Action Alliance, and Portland Rising Tide, Rose City Antifa, Never Again.

Para registrarse, comuníquese con una de las organizaciones en la lista o envíe un correo electrónico a pnw_can@riseup.net

Week of Action: November 4th – 11th, 2020

A broad-based community coalition asks the people of the Pacific Northwest to take action in workplaces, neighborhoods, and mutual aid groups to oppose authoritarianism and racially-motivated violence in the wake of the upcoming election. An opening rally for a week of action will occur at 2pm on Wednesday, November 4th at the North Park Blocks, where we will hold space throughout the day, followed by a march starting at 5pm. 

The federal government is failing us. By now we’re all well aware of the tax cuts and record-breaking profits accumulated by the wealthy while the rest of this country struggles to survive the pandemic; their failure to address the fundamentally corrupt institution of policing responsible for destroying black and brown lives and communities; their indifference to the climate crisis. We know we’ve been given a choice between one presidential candidate who emboldens the US’ spiraling undercurrent of far-right hate and one who will do nothing to stop it. The date of November 3rd looms over all our heads.

While the outcome of the election is still uncertain, Trump has been openly manipulating the electoral process; igniting conspiracy theories about mail-in voting, calling for election poll intimidation, and purging voter rolls across the country. Trump has been fiercely suppressing the vote while indicating he will not concede power in the event of his defeat. With far-right paramilitary groups and Proud Boys “standing by” to support a Trump election theft, our communities need to act quickly.

We must become organized and send a clear message that we will not tolerate voter disenfranchisement or election theft, nor will we tolerate a two-party system that serves only the wealthy, and are instead committed to building a truly just and equitable society. We ask urban and rural community members, tenants, workers, affinity groups, unions, and local organizations of any kind to join us in a wave of community action beginning November 4th. We cannot pay rent, so we will not pay rent. We cannot safely work, so we will not work. If you belong to a church group or neighborhood association, a union or a Grange, please talk to your friends and community about what you can do to fight for the kind of change that won’t come from either party.

By shutting down business as usual, defending our communities, and building a web of mutual aid projects and neighborhood assemblies, we can form new community support structures to sustain long term opposition. We can work to take care of our communities’ needs ourselves. We join the People’s Strike campaign in calling for nationwide sustained resistance after the election, and echo calls for international resistance to fascism in the first week of November. We’re in a crisis – let’s act like it.

Join us for an opening rally at 2pm Wednesday, November 4th at the North Park Blocks, followed by a march at 5pm. On this day and for the rest of the ‘Week of Action’ through November 11th, we call for the people of the Pacific Northwest to plan actions united by the following principles.

1. No Trump! No Election Theft

2. Black Lives Matter – End Racist Policing

3. Decolonize – This Is Indigenous Land

4. Mutual Aid – Share Resources

5. Neighborhood Organizing – Build Neighborhood Assemblies

6. Take Direct Action – Disrupt Business As Usual

7. Housing is a Right – Resist Evictions

8. Reproductive Justice – Defend the Right to Choose

9. Strike for Power – Our Labor Is Ours

10. Build Urban-Rural Connections

11. Solidarity with All Oppressed Peoples

12. We Protect Us – We Defend Ourselves

13. Migrant Justice – End the Criminalization of Migrants

14. Support Worldwide Liberation – Stop the Global Fascist Agenda

For the people,

Popular Mobilization (PopMob), Symbiosis PDX, The Youth Liberation Front, Revolutionary Abolitionist Group, Willamette Action Collective, Portland Democratic Socialists of America, Rural Organizing Project, Direct Action Alliance, and Portland Rising Tide, Rose City Antifa, Never Again.

To sign on please contact one of the listed orgs, or email pnw_can@riseup.net