PSU president, Portland police chief release statement denouncing violence during protests

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland State University President Ann Cudd and the Associated Students of PSU have released a joint statement condemning violence committed by protesters on campus. 

Portland Police Chief Bob Day also denounced the recent violence in a statement of his own.

This comes one day after the chief of campus police, Willie Halliburton, was taken to the hospital following a confrontation with protesters on campus in which some protesters were arrested. Protesters had chained themselves to the Richard Maurine Neuberger Center Thursday night, resulting in arrests, one day after a similar incident happened Wednesday.

The joint statement, co-signed by Cudd and PSU Student Body President Yousif Ibrahim, said that while they acknowledged “passionate and impactful student activism that has taken place on PSU’s campus” and “are proud of the PSU students who have engaged in non-violent activism,” they denounced those who engaged in any violence, property destruction and harmful rhetoric. 

“Through this challenging time, our campus community has also been impacted by extensive property destruction, hateful rhetoric, psychological harm, and violence. Rather than uplifting the powerful message of our student activists, we believe these actions diminish their voices. This has also made our campus a space of anxiety and fear for those who live, study and work on this campus. We jointly denounce this violence and the harm that it has caused.”

The statement was also supportive of the larger movement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, which has been the focus of many of the recent PSU protests. That has included the protests that happened in late April and early May in which the Millar Library was occupied for several days and caused substantial property damage that PSU estimates will cost north of $750,000 to repair.

“[W]e are heartbroken over the devastating loss of innocent civilian lives in Israel and Gaza, and the horrific, ongoing suffering in Gaza,” the statement said.

In addition, there were a number of announcements related to PSU’s response to the Gaza conflict, including that they would be hosting a “Palestianian Scholar in the Fall of 2025” and that President Cudd would be committed to supporting new curricula proposed by PSU faculty focused on dissecting “Islamaphobia, Anti-Jew, Anti-Palestinian and Anti-Arab rhetoric.”

The joint statement also said PSU administration and the student group are committed to working together on issues raised by ASPSU’s May 13 resolution, which includes a call for PSU to terminate ties to Boeing due to their associations with allegedly participating in wars and “human rights abuses.” 

The full joint statement signed by PSU President Cudd and the ASPSU is below. 

Day's full statement can also be viewed below.

"I’m grateful that Chief Willie Halliburton is recovering from Thursday night’s medical scare. I’ve appreciated his leadership through the recent protest events and value his collaboration and longstanding ties to PPB. All of us at Portland Police sincerely wish him the best in his recovery.

I’d like to address last night’s criminal behavior at the Neuberger Center (RMNC) building, in which police officers were assaulted and harassed, and lifesaving medical care was delayed for Chief Halliburton. It baffles me that these actions are being portrayed as legitimate political protest.

PPB officers responded to assist Portland State University Campus Public Safety Office (CPSO) regarding protesters chaining themselves to the doors and blocking access. PPB formed a line to allow PSU officers room to make appropriate arrests. However, the crowd became extraordinarily hostile and surrounded the officers. As PSU officers tried to transport arrested persons away, the crowd blocked the garage exit. One officer was spit in the face, and at least 2 others were punched. Likely their protective gear kept them from being injured by the physical assaults. Equally concerning, officers notified the group that a medical emergency was underway. But they refused to move, and officers had to forcibly push their way out to ensure that medical care could be brought in.

The American Civil Liberties Union, its protesters rights resource page makes it clear that people “have the right to speak out on other public property, like plazas in front of government buildings, as long as you are not blocking access to the government building or interfering with other purposes the property was designed for.”

Civil disobedience, meaning violating the law as a means of protest, has a long, time-honored legacy in our country of bringing attention to injustice. But civil disobedience means that the people engaged in it are accepting the legal consequences for their actions. They should never resist arrest, attempt to assault police, and others should never interfere with such arrests.

Again, quoting the ACLU’s guidance, if stopped by police, people should “stay calm. Make sure to keep your hands visible. Don’t argue, resist, or obstruct the police, even if you believe they are violating your rights.” I agree and would add that if people believe their rights are being violated, there are other avenues for getting that addressed, including the court system and the Independent Police Review. The actions of those who engaged in criminal conduct last night were not an appropriate response, unnecessarily escalated the situation, and could have had life-threatening consequences for Chief Halliburton. If that kind of criminal behavior continues, PPB policy and the law recognize that members may use objectively reasonable force to uphold the civil rights of all individuals, protect human life and property, and maintain civil order."