Pushback on our Old Town dispute cover story

Readers take a different point of view

We received a strong response to this month’s cover story—most of it in disagreement. Below, we publish letters that challenge our reporting, tone or conclusions. We believe robust public debate is essential to the health of local journalism. Here they are, in full.

Videographer a partisan

The article “Power couple sics cavalry” leaves out something crucial about the so-called independent videographer, John the Lefty. This person is John Hacker, who has been criminally convicted for acts of violence, which is central to understanding who is involved in these events and how they escalate. Presenting him as some sort of a neutral observer misleads readers and shields a known agitator from public scrutiny.

Even when acting under the guise of an information seeker, Hacker’s approach is confrontational and embedded in movement politics. He is not gathering facts impartially, which crosses the line from activist to ideologically motivated operative. In cases involving force or threat, extremist is the appropriate term. That context matters and has been omitted from this story.

More broadly, these mutual aid pop-ups sometimes keep the kind of company that should be questioned. In multiple parts of the city, armed Antifa aligned individuals have used these gatherings to push an agenda and intimidate neighbors.

I’m curious if you were facing armed individuals with a known track record of harassment outside your home or workplace, would you not be cautious in how you engaged with them?

If the NW Examiner wants honest conversations about community power and accountability, why leave out such critical context?

Michelle Milla

Self-righteous anarchists

I respectfully disagree with the Northwest Examiner’s depiction of the situation with the free store in Old Town. The headline reads “power couple sics cavalry.” I believe the headline could’ve read it “anarchists flout city laws and intimidate neighbors.”

Near the McDonald’s on West Burnside, we also came into contact with anarchists when the Portland people’s outreach project blocked city sidewalks to hand out needles every Friday night. When neighbors showed up to plead with them to move out of a school zone, they used intimidation and threats to scare neighbors away. (I would like to add that handing out needles in a school zone is not against Oregon law. If you find this absurd, please write to your Oregon legislators and ask them to regulate needle handouts.)

I support Jessie Burke. I think the bigger point is that Portland has a problem with anarchist/thugs on the left who think what they are doing is so righteous that they use intimidation and violence to support their actions.

Anarchists should not just be allowed to block city sidewalks/streets to do whatever they want. And they should certainly not be allowed to use intimidation and threats against neighbors.

Kara Shane Colley

Mistaken blame

In your letters column (April edition), a reader helpfully recalled the political violence our city has been subjected to in the last few years and its provenance. Anyone familiar with it will be unsurprised at the “power couple’s” reluctance to disclose their identity to videographer "John the Lefty” (no last name supplied) and others. Doxxing and personal threats towards those challenging Portland’s homeless industry are a reality.

All I know about the “dominant duo” I gleaned from your article. They are productive members of our community who volunteer for neighborhood associations and strive to maintain businesses trapped in neighborhoods blighted by our city's destructive policies regarding drug addiction and homelessness. Maybe they should have disclosed their identity more courageously, but they are hardly the villains of this story. Since when was calling the police over an unpermitted homeless handout event in Old Town run by an organization that can "take over” a city block plus parking lot, “siccing"?

Your self-described “hard-hitting reporting” mistook the target. By shaming these two neighbors and splashing their names and photos on the front cover, you send an unintentional but powerful message to anyone striving to improve our city: don’t put your head above the parapet.

Juliet Kane

Have right to be anonymous

Your snarky, snide article,” Power couple docs cavalry,” unfairly and irrationally criticizes Jessie Burke and Jonathan Cohen for not identifying themselves when summoning Portland police. Citizens are not allowed to take over a sidewalk or street without obtaining a permit. Is there an exception for the “free give-away “group?

Burke and Cohen have every right to remain anonymous to avoid threats and damage to their businesses and persons. The behavior of Antifa in 2020 has instructed all Portland’s law-abiding residents that they will not be protected from unhinged leftists. The rule of law in Portland quickly gives way to a rule of the mob.

Gail Cronyn

Bullying behavior

Thank you for this week’s cover story exposing Jessie Burke and Jonathan Cohen for using their roles and privilege to use Portland Police to bully and intimidate the Portland Free Store Project and then denying their identities or roles as neighborhood officers. The Portland Police Bureau is either overfunded or confused about their priorities.

Mary Rarick