I live in an adjacent county, 15 miles from Portland center.
This Portland police inaction/stand-at-a-distance-and-watch-doing-nothing is well documented for at least several years. Most of us in the area have seen the videos where they can be seen "observing" as groups like this block downtown streets and unsuspecting motorists are stopped, harassed, threatened, chased, cars smashed, and the police on a far corner are seen in the background, doing nothing.
But can you blame them, when just recently a Portland cop did put one of these thugs out of commission during a riot/scuffle, and was immediately fired and charges filed against him, the offcer? That is what prompted his entire team to resign from the riot squad (they didn't really resign from the force, just the riot task, is the gist I got). They are damned if they do, damned if they don't.
I would also add, that some of us nearby, see stuff like this and might fantasize about going down there and protecting the innocent from the Antifa thugs, but we also remember other things...like several years ago the video of a guy getting surrounded by these thugs in Portland, armed with metal poles, and while he backs away, tries to disengage, feels like he's about to be cornered, he draws a sidearm. He keeps it at low ready, never points it, and it gets him out of the situation, as they back off. But, guess who got charged with a crime, and was subsequently stripped of his right to carry by the Portland court? If you do anything to protect yourself, the Portland law enforcement and DA, will arrest and charge you with a crime. While these thugs can drag people out of their car, kick them in head, they can be arrested with an illegal pistol, get released and later shoot/kill an unarmed Patriot Prayer member (perp was later gunned down, days later, but he had been arrested during the riots several times and the DA released him each time, despite illegally carrying, per Portland ordinance), Andy Ngo was beaten by these thugs quite severely...they have virtually free license to do whatever they want, but if you punch back, draw and warn, you yourself get "the law," most times, not them.
So, as I sit here and watch from afar, the best I can discern is that if I try to help "take back the city," what will likely happen is that I will lose my freedom, risk my job, home and family; I have a wife and 3 kids I need to support. I'm sure I'm not the only one that is weighing the pros/cons and figuring it's not worth it, as I'm not technically a Portland resident and it is far enough removed for the time being, it's "better" to just sit it out.
But, how long will that last, being "far removed?" Who knows, and is it really "better" to wait it out, as this noose of impotence tightens and this becomes a more prevailing and wider spread problem? It's a tough spot to be in and I honestly don't know what we can do at the moment.
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