Armed with snarky signs and at least one false mustache, a group of about 10 anti-Occupy Portland protestors, who called themselves
Un-Occupy Portland, stood near Ankeny Plaza to deliver a message to the Occupy movement: "We're seriously annoyed, and we want you to stop."
As members of
Occupy Portlandgathered for a rally on the plaza, the Un-Occupy protestors held signs with sayings such as "We are the 98.999%. We are seriously annoyed with the 0.001%," "I'm bored and easily influenced," and "Un-Occupy Portland: The 98.999% for Portland Police, Taxpayers and the City's Budget."
As the rally went on below them, the anti-protestors handed out flyers and discussed their complaints with the Occupy movement, citing a lack of direction, tense relations with police, lofty law enforcement expenditures, traffic congestion, vandalization and crime as reasons the protestors should end their occupation.
"No one will disagree with the serious problem of wealth inequality in this country. But we don’t feel that — 'Let’s totally, like, stop corporate greed, dude!' is a realistic or attainable goal worthy of the protests’ consequences," reads a piece of the group's mission statement.
Vowing to stay on sidewalks and obey traffic laws, they followed the Occupy protestors as they marched south on Naito Parkway and wove through downtown, eventually ending at the Salmon Springs Fountain.
"Here's the problem: There is no consistent message," said Un-Occupy's self-described "actual, consistent spokesman," a construction worker who chose not to be identified. "Their message is whatever the person standing beside you thinks their message is."
From Occupiers' verbal and sign-supported disapproval — one stood beside the group with a sign that told passers-by, "Don't mind them, they're just ignorant" — to clapping from passing runners, The Un-Occupy camp drew mixed opinions.
"We want these endless protests to stop because we think they're making the city unsafe," he said. "We think there are a lot of people like us out there that just haven't thought of coming out here to say anything."
and yes i copied and Gnartroned it.
