Anger and tensions are climbing as competing rallies are scheduled to take place on Labor Day, which some expect could lead to clashes between pro-Trump parades against counter-protesters.
Organizers for the "Oregon for Trump 2020 Labor Day Cruise Rally" posted on Facebook that their event will take place from noon to 5 p.m. So far, 6,200 people have responded to that page. The exact route was not listed.
The group said it would not post its route "to show respect to the local law enforcement and to provide safety to all involved." The announcement said the event would not enter Multnomah County, where Portland is located.
"Our event WILL NOT be going into Multnomah County to help keep everyone" safe. It added they have coordinated with local police to "be at our starting and ending locations."
Nearby Clackamas Community College released a statement regarding the rally, saying "only recently been made aware of a rallying point occurring on its campus. The organizers did not go through the standard process for events such as this, and the event is not sanctioned by the college. For the safety of participants and the general public, the college is working with the Oregon City Police Department."
Another pro-Trump rally "Trump 2020 Labor Day Cruise Rally #2" is scheduled to start in downtown Portland at 4 p.m. PT. The route of that event was also unpublished.
Meanwhile, a Black Lives Matter event is scheduled between 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Portland.
"This is a peaceful, social-distance priority, family friendly protest," the event's website reads. "However, we are in support of the marches on the (in)justice center and police stations. Please show up for Black lives, and not to put down one protest modality or another."
Protests have shaken the Portland area for more than 100 days, bringing on anger, fatigue, and angst that many expect to spill into the Labor Day protests.
Portland police arrested more than 50 people Sunday as protesters threw rocks and firebombs at authorities.
Black Lives Matter protesters and labor organizers who started demonstrations against police brutality are worried about potentially confronting pro-Trump supporters. Protester Chep Ortega told NPR on Sunday she is worried about the violence continuing into Labor Day.
"Last time they said they'd be peaceful and look at what happened," Ortega said, in reference to the rally where Aaron 'Jay' Danielson was shot and killed Aug. 29. "They wanted something to happen."
Ortega continued, "We're out here and we need to be, but I'm tired, and I'm on edge."
Danielson belonged to a far-right group called Patriot Prayer, whose members pepper-sprayed, shot paintball pellets, and pointed real guns at protesters during the Aug. 29 demonstration.
Patriot Prayer has not announced if it will attend any events near Portland on Labor Day, but the group is expected to appear.
Its members held a Saturday vigil for Danielson. At that event, speakers encouraged the group to resist violence.
"Do not take the bait," one of the speakers at the vigil said. "There are people . . . who want us to be violent. We're not going to do it."
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