Jesse Jackson to Speak in Portland Just Hours After Wilson Resignation

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Cornelius Swart, GoLocal PDX Director of Content

Rev. Jesse Jackson Holds a Press Conference on the Abductions of the Nigerian Schoolgirls May 2014. Photo Credit: Rainbow Push

Civil Rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. was scheduled to speak before a police accountability rally in front of the Portland Justice Center Saturday evening, just hours after the resignation of a Missouri police officers who had shot and killed an unarmed black teen was announced.

The Saturday night rally was organized by activists with Don’t Shoot Portland, who began a series of demonstrations after the death of Michael Brown, 19, of Ferguson MO., who was shot and killed by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9.

Wilson was exonerated of any criminal wrongdoings by a grand jury on Nov. 19.

“The fight against white supremacy in the American justice system is being dismantled by community [sic] across the country who are gathered in solidarity since the murder of Michael Brown,” stated Teresa Raiford, one of the event organizers, in a post on Don’t Shoot Portland’s Facebook page. “What happened in Ferguson and [the] reason local Portlander are affected is no mystery. The Portland Police Department [sic] has a history of discrimination and has a list of individual killed in confrontations like the one in Ferguson.”

The group Don’t Shoot Portland seeks reforms to Portland police oversight system.

"We've had far too many instances of abuse by police in Portland, with no way for families of victims to receive justice and closure,” stated Raiford. “The City of Portland needs to act now to produce real oversight and accountability of our police force."

Jackson was scheduled to speak at 7 p.m., according to Raiford. He was already planning to visit Portland as part of a campaign to address diversity in the high-tech industry.

Jackson’s speech will come hours after the resignation of officer Wilson was announced in the media. The shooting of Brown by Wilson sparked civil unrest in Ferguson. The grand jury decision not to indict Wilson also brought rioting in Ferguson, and around the nation, in its wake.

Raiford said she was not surprised by Wilson’s resignation, nor did she feel any sense of vindication.

“That’s the American justice system. I don’t have any faith in it any more,” Raiford said.

#dontshootpdx Tweets