Bend leaders share statement to condemn racism

Trump supporters are planning to gather Saturday afternoon for a potluck and car cruise through Bend.

According to the Central Oregon Diversity Project and Central Oregon Peacekeepers, the event could draw members of the Proud Boys, a far-right group labeled as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel — who drafted the letter with Bend City Councilors Gena Goodman-Campbell and Bruce Abernethy — said there is no confirmed evidence the Proud Boys or other extremist groups plan to attend Saturday’s rally.

“Sometimes these rumors have a life of their own,” Hummel said. “I have not heard any concrete evidence.”

Bend Police are also aware of the rumors and will plan accordingly, according to Lt. Juli McConkey.

Goodman-Campbell said the main motivation behind the letter was to respond to President Trump’s refusal to forcefully reject white supremacy at Tuesday’s presidential debate. The letter was also a call to keep ongoing protests peaceful, including the Trump rally on Saturday.

“We thought that it was important to make this statement to encourage everybody to keep things peaceful and nonviolent and express our gratitude for how our community has done that so far,” Goodman-Campbell said.

Abernethy said community members told elected and religious leaders they felt less safe following Trump’s apparent failure to condemn white supremacy during the debate, and that they wanted the leaders to send a strong statement.

The upcoming Trump rally in Bend offered a sense of urgency for the leaders to release a statement and encourage peaceful behavior, Abernethy said.

“What we are trying to do is respond appropriately and not overreact,” Abernethy said. “How do you sort of tamp down the flames rather than fan them higher?”

Ariel Mendez, Bend Park & Recreation District board member, said the potential for Saturday’s Trump rally turning violent was part of the reason he signed the letter.

“I can’t speak for everyone,” Mendez said. “But it was a motivating factor for me.”

Mendez describes the letter as an unprecedented show of unity between Bend’s largest public boards and religious organizations. The letter was signed by city councilors, school and park board members and more than 20 local pastors.

“I’ve never seen something like this come together this quickly with so much support,” Mendez said.

Kerstin Arias, co-founder of the Central Oregon Diversity Project, said she was happy to see the local leaders denounce racism and support peaceful demonstrations.

The Trump Cruise Rally is described by organizers as a peaceful show of support for freedom, democracy and law and order. Organizers of the rally did not return a phone call Friday.

The Diversity Project plans to counterprotest the Trump rally Saturday by having its own picnic, which it’s calling a “kick back” event.

Arias expects both events to be peaceful, but she worries about Proud Boys showing up since people claiming to be with the hate group attended past rallies in Prineville.

She is also concerned because Trump appeared to encourage the Proud Boys at the presidential debate by telling them to “stand back and stand by.”

“I never felt more scared in my life,” Arias said.

But rather than show up and aggressively counterprotest, Arias said, the casual picnic will show the community what a peaceful protest looks like.

“We are going to have a kick back,” she said. “We are going to have a celebration.”