This Sunday, Portland's City Hall steps will serve as a rallying point for veterans and the community at large in a show of opposition to what some are calling the militarization of American streets. Dubbed "Duty to Disobey: Veterans Stand Against War on American Soil," the demonstration is scheduled for October 5, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., at 1221 SW 4th, Portland, OR 97204. Portland City Councilor and Army veteran Mitch Green will be among the speakers. Green, a vocal critic of the current administration's decision to deploy 200 National Guard troops and 150 ICE agents to Portland, asserts the president’s description of the city as "war ravaged" is a gross fabrication.
The concern among Portland's elected officials and community leaders is palpable. In a statement released on October 2nd, demonstrators have made their stance clear: federal troops are neither needed nor wanted. “Trump is signaling in very clear terms he wants to go to war in American cities," Councilor Green told Portland.gov. "He said he wants to use Portland as a training ground and that soldiers should do ‘whatever they want' to protesters." The event on Sunday stems, in part, from a video posted by Green that garnered vast support across veterans and the local community.
The organizers of the event are inviting all community members to join in solidarity. With a lineup of speakers including figures from Veterans for Peace and About Face, the rally aims to support veterans and active-duty service members grappling with the notion of being used against their fellow citizens. The longtime duty to refuse unlawful orders stands at the forefront of the conversation, with the Constitution being posited as the true North for military service members.
As plans for the demonstration solidify, more speakers are expected to join the ranks of Councilor Green; Dan Shea from Veterans for Peace; and Mike Prysner from About Face. The common thread uniting them is a concern for the ethical and legal boundaries of military engagement on American soil. With the ethos of resistance embedded in military history, Sunday’s rally is less an act of defiance and more a declaration of allegiance to constitutional values, one that honors the very oath taken by those in uniform.
