Portland Occupation Begins Tomorrow, Eugene and Others Planning

Tomorrow at 12noon, people will gather at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park, North Waterfront Park and Ankeny Plaza, at The Pavilion in Portland, OR, where Saturday Market touches the river, just south of the Burnside Bridge and we will march to the site of the demonstration. This is a nonviolent movement in solidarity with Occupy Wall St.  This is an occupation, so many will sleep outside as a group, with sleeping bags, tarps, and duct tape (tents are illegal). Please go to OccupyPortland.org for details. I am going to Portland tomorrow morning to take part in this. It is our hope that this will be a peaceful demonstration. However, the occupation at Wall St. has remained peaceful on the part of the protesters, and they have been met with police brutality and mass arrests. We must be prepared. 

Those of us who are trained in CPR and First Aid and other medical and health issues must especially be prepared. We must also have people available who can support people with mental health issues, panic, and trauma. 


Some important things to bring: 

• Typical First Aid kit stuff if you have it and especially if you are trained in CPR and First Aid
• Some sort of herbal courage tincture 
• A bandana soaked in cider vinegar (in case of pepper spray, to help you breathe)
• Squirt-top bottle with 50/50 water and liquid Maalox (for your eyes, in case of pepper spray) 
• Squirt-top bottle with 25% Dawn dish soap and 75% water (for your skin in case of pepper spray)
• An extra t-shirt in a bag
• Emergen-C packets 
• Granola bars
• Sugar packets or tube of icing (in case of diabetic emergency) 
• Rosehip Medic Collective based out of Portland, Oregon, has some really helpful resources for those interested in being street medics.

The Eugene occupation is also underway as far as planning goes. You can visit OccupyEugene.com for more information on that. One important thing before a huge and ongoing demonstration that is needed, however, is sleep. And sleep I must.