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I alternated between Vortex and downtown Portland.  I was a 24 year old Washington County employee that was 'comandeered' by the State of Oregon to hang around a Vortex to make sure no one there was planning a mass march to downtown Portland to confront the American Legion.  One of the state police drove me into the park every day and much later picked me up.  Someone offered me a "toke" and I, not wanting to be inhospitable, but incredibly naive, took a swig from the offered jug of wine.  Later that evening, as I was driving up the Sunset highway on my way home, I began having hallucinations.  I pulled the car over to the side and sat it out.  A few hours later I was able to drive home.

The crowd during the People's Army Jamboree parade was infiltrated by hundreds of 'People for Portland.'  These were local citizens who had been trained at high school gymnasiums by psychiatrists from OHSU (think it was called something else back then) on how to diffuse conflict.  At one point were it the march broke down and a yelling match was starting between American Legionnaires on the sidewalk and Jamboree folk in the street a Marylhurst (Holy Names) sister started the chant, 1, 2, 3, 4, we don't want you're f...ing war.  She turned red but the crowd took up the chant and the parade started moving and violence didn't happen.  

At the end of the parade were a group of Weathermen.  I chose to infiltrate that group, and in retrospect was quite scared.  Some of those people had embedded razer blades in the soles of their boots and were carrying sticks and bats also embedded with razor blades.  Following us were a group of National Guard buses in a v formation to haul people off to jail if necessary.  We crossed the freeway at the south end of town and ended up at Duniway  park and I was very relieved there was no violence.

posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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