It’s 6:15 on a drizzly overcast September evening and the intersection at Congress and High Streets is obstructed by over 100 people: some dancing, some sitting, some carrying signs and others just being, but all there for the same purpose: to peacefully protest the impending war in Iraq.
As I arrive, the group begins its descent down Congress Street. Some people in front are carrying a large papier-m?ch? puppet. The puppet has the heads of Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, and President George Bush.
Bush was depicted as a king wearing a crown and described by Jamie of Portland to be “the worst of them all.” The heads are conjoined by chains and are carried high above the crowd for all to view.
The group proceeds down Congress Street, taking up the entire right lane. They are chanting “1-2-3-4, we don’t need this f—-ing war,” as vehicles passing in the left lane honk appreciatively in support of the efforts of this hodgepodge of people.
They are nearly at Exchange Street when a protestor appears, screaming red-faced at the crowd, “They hate our country.” When asked why he believes this, he yells, “They don’t have American flags.” He then turns away in a continued attempt to be heard, repeating his accusation of “They hate our country” over and over again.
The marchers progress down Exchange Street, and soon cameramen from major news groups arrived, as well as the Portland police.
Nick, a USM English major said that he had caught wind of the protest through posted fliers and had decided to come show his support because, “this war is based on an imperialist ideology and has gone on for too long.” Jessica, a USM international studies major, “just hates Bush.”
So although this protest had been organized for one specific purpose, there were many different people taking part with many different agendas.
The Portland Police department also had an agenda. Two patrol cars had been commissioned to follow in front of and behind the group to ensure the safety of the citizens.
Officer Stickney described his position as “trying to protect them.”
“We tried to talk to them but they won’t talk to us,” he said.
A liberated air followed the group as they marched up Center Street without resistance, free to express their feelings by carrying signs, pounding drums, or scribbling chalk messages on the tar for those who followed.
Briggs, a Portland veteran sporting a mask reminiscent of a WWE wrestling match, said he’s protesting because he has fought in a war and “came to terms with taking part in genocide.” He said that he’s learned about the aims of war “from living in a capitalist society where the rich exploit the poor.”
Erika, a Maine College of Art student, bore a sign caricaturing Bush as a toothy-grinning, gun-toting, flag-waving American inside a circle with a slash through the center; he is labeled a biohazard. Jeff, a USM student from Windham, watched with skepticism from the outskirts, wondering if the protestors had looked at all sides of the debate.
Although I did elicit a few names of organizations present at the protest, neither Veterans for Peace or Peace Action Maine could take the credit for organizing the whole affair.
Jamie, a Portland man, said it was just a few people with similar concerns who got together to put up fliers and speak their minds. One Portland-born veteran shares these concerns and questions if “We’re gonna sacrifice our beautiful young people for oil?”
With that, the protestors have made it full-circle back to Congress Square and just as the onlookers believed the protestors were satisfied with what they had accomplished, the adventure had only just begun.
As the over 100 citizens danced in the streets to the beat of their multifaceted tunes, patrol cars continued to arrive and lined up down Congress Street. Soon there were not only protestors but an estimated 40 officers.
According to Captain Loughlin “almost all the department on shift” was on the scene, attempting to dissolve what had turned into a complete obstruction of a major intersection.
This course of action played out for nearly an hour with no traffic being able to pass through Congress or High Street. Many attempts were made by the police to appeal to the senses of the crowd by explaining that although they had their right to express themselves so too should the citizens of Portland be able to drive home hassle free.
Captain Loughlin explained that because the marchers refused to stay on the sidewalk and wouldn’t allow any officer to speak with the leaders of the group, this put them “in a compromising position.” Although the police had been cooperative to that point by escorting the crowd to ensure safety, “traffic flow affects people’s lives” and they also had a duty to maintain that order.
Just as an officer was informing me that the county jail bus was coming around the corner to take people away if need be, the crowd suddenly began traveling back down Congress Street.
From there they made a pit stop at Monument Square, where the police had set up a police line to encourage the protestors to stay on the sidewalk. Although this kept most from straying, a few disdainful individuals refused to comply and were arrested.
From there they made their way to the Portland Police department headquarters where the police continued to appeal to the crowd over the loud speaker. But Captain Loughlin believed that the crowd “had become self-righteous” and around 14 individuals were arrested on various charges, including failure to disperse, refusal to submit to arrest and, yes folks, even assault of an officer.
Would it have been a proper protest without, as Captain Loughlin puts it, “a few people just trying to be disruptive? It at least created a climactic ending to the pleas for peace.