Portland face off, disaster averted

The L.A. Times has a comprehensive article on the background of an event that the city tried to prevent, but that Donald Trump wants to happen, based on the Federal Government overriding the city's refusal to provide a permit, anticipating violence.

For decades, Portland has basked in its reputation for protest.
But few people here are looking forward to a pro-Trump rally Sunday that’s expected to draw a wide swath of potentially armed white supremacists and allied antigovernment protesters from around the country.
(snip)
The protest also pits the city against the federal government, which has issued a permit for the rally on a federal plaza downtown despite pleas from Mayor Ted Wheeler that outsiders are coming to provoke violence and “peddle a message of hatred.”

I attended the Earth Day event in San Diego last month with speeches, exhibits and thousands of people without even a hint of hostility.   The closest to a Trump supporter where three women who had a sign that was arguing for more investigation of the harm that can occur to children’s vaccinations.  They said a few people were angry at them, but by and large any signage or tee shirts were mild, which was the report of such events around the country.
For those who want to derail this diary,  it's pretty easy.  One or two hostile comments and a tone is set, and it becomes open season on an this “appeasing coward” who would allow the bullies to take over.  It's happened to me before, specifically that time after Comey's publicizing the collection of emails that landed on Anthony Weiner's computer; and I made the case that from the Washington Post’s evidence it could seriously hurt Clinton’s chances.  That diary suggested some bold actions that had to be taken to stem the damage;  but I was mobbed and ridiculed, an example of group think with dire consequences.

Dailykos in their “Resistance" movement has fostered a partisanship that so far has been limited to marches and town hall events;  But Portland June 3  could could be the start of  a breakdown of the ordered civil society that most of have been blessed with.
I just got off the phone with a reporter from a Portland Newspaper who does not want to be named.  He is a bit more optimistic than I am, but also quite concerned, and agreed with my observation that the decision to allow this on federal land was ultimately that of Donald Trump.  He did tell me that Portland police are allowed to be on Federal Property, which is encouraging.  The L.A. Times article gives the name of some individuals who are notoriously open in their advocacy of violence against liberals.   Note to reporter:  My hope is that the Portland police assigns detectives to identify and  take appropriate action if they do anything that crosses the limits of freedom of speech, which is the use of “fighting words” intended to cause violence.
My personal opinion is let those who want to show the kind of mindless faux toughness of their idol be allowed to have the territory he has granted them for the event.  It is not defeatism, or cowardliness to stay away from this mob scene, but an example of the kind of rationality that I hope will return to our Federal Government in the near future.
-----------------
Turned out that combined city and federal law enforcement did their job.  Some fights, several arrests  but never got out of hand.  I guess my article did the job of preventing a disaster ;)