8 • The Southwest Portland Post
NEWS
February 2017
Thousands protest Trump inauguration in peaceful Women’s March on Portland
Additionally, I want to try to limit
acts of vandalism and disruptions
to transit. By these measures, the
weekend was highly successful. In
Thousands of people met at Gov.
the end, no one entered the freeways.
Tom McCall Waterfront Park, and
There were five arrests and no serious
then marched in the rain through
injuries were reported.”
the downtown streets on Jan. 21 for
Some reported slow going through
the Women’s March on Portland, a
downtown streets and some degree
celebration of inclusivity, diversity
of disorganization amidst the pink
and positive action.
pussycat hat-wearing marchers.
Participants overcame the Portland
Many were confused about the route
weather and added a bit of Trump
and not all wound up marching the
bashing. This march of a magnitude
whole route.
to beat most huge Portland events
The streets were filled with signs,
was a spectacular success of good
some of which read “Love Trumps
will supporting the “love wins”
Hate,” “You Can’t Comb Over
attitude currently churning through
Sexism” and “Make America Kind
our neighborhoods, our nation and
Again.”
the world.
That said, the overall vibe was
“Over the weekend, tens of
cheerful, uplifting, and eclectic
thousands of people–perhaps more
— filled with drummers keeping
than 100,000–exercised their right to
the beat, colorful and clever signs,
assembly and expression in our city,”
friends reuniting with friends and
said Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler.
an overwhelming sense of making
“My top priority is always to protect
history and being part of something
the safety of everyone involved.
huge and important.
“Women, men, children
and even some of their
pets and the police were in
attendance. All had the entire
city thrumming with energy
and goodwill,” said Nadine
Lefkowitz, a volunteer peace
keeper and the owner of
Topanien Global Gifts in
Multnomah Village.
Lefkowitz said being a
peace keeper for the march
was a way for her and her
husband to both participate in
and be pro-active. Lefkowitz
was joined by another
Multnomah Village business
owner — Joan Steinbach from
Thinker Toys.
Lefkowitz said she and
many others have been feeling
crushed and powerless. She
This was just one of hundreds of people carrying said that the march was a
signs protesting the words and actions of President way to begin the process of
Donald Trump. (Post photo by Don Snedecor)
discovering a new voice and
By Jack Rubinger
The Southwest Portland Post
Thousands line up along Southwest Naito Parkway and the Morrison Bridge during
the Women's March on Portland, Jan. 21. (Post photo by Don Snedecor)
of empowering herself through group
action.
Lefkowitz said that she’s been
feeling heavy with sadness about
Trump’s attitude toward women
and disbelief that anyone can be so
cavalier towards other human beings.
“This was a huge coming together
of people believing in each other and
in sharing, helping and taking care
of each other on a local, national and
global level. This march is just the
beginning of what we can do if we
move together,” said Lefkowitz.
Lefkowitz said she did not observe
any violence or vandalism throughout
the afternoon, unlike other Trump-
related protests.
Her job, she said, was to keep
participants moving forward and to
be available if any problems arose
which would stop and/or hinder
the march’s forward movement,
including injuries, illness, altercations,
and confusion.
Despite the size of the event
and how quickly it grew, most of
the marchers helped each other,
apologizing for accidentally knocking
into each other, raising umbrellas way
above their heads and just generally
bending over backward to make sure
the march was peaceful.
Lefkowtiz said it was all about
people moving together in a steady
stream of happiness, diversity, rain
(lots of rain) and a flowing celebration
of women and, of humanity.
She has observed that groups are
popping up all over the city, the
state, the country and the world that
have missions of kindness, diversity,
helpfulness and inclusivity.
At the end of the day, once marchers
(and reporters) were home, many
shed their sopping wet coats, placed
shoes next to heating grates and
indulged in hot baths — weary, but
grateful to have been a part of a far-
reaching movement.
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