Participants and Dialogue Officers successfully collaborated to ensure a safe event.
PPB is grateful to those who shared information about the march route, allowing officers to successfully use police vehicles to control traffic and avoid any potentially dangerous conflicts.
Members of the Rapid Response Team, the Traffic Division, the Air Support Unit, and others were on hand to assist. PPB was also able to share real-time updates on its events account on X (formally Twitter). No injuries were reported and no arrests were made.
Photo descriptions:
-A Dialogue officer in a white uniform hands a sticker to a boy wearing an orange shirt, tan pants, and cool sunglasses
-A Dialogue officer in a white uniform shirt speaks to a couple of event participants
-A member of the Rapid Response Team uses his police vehicle to block traffic and prevent conflicts with motorists and marchers
-A Dialogue officer in a white uniform shirt converses with an event participant
###PPB###
***Original Message Below***
PPB Preparing for Downtown Gathering and March Saturday
The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) is preparing for a planned Downtown Portland gathering and march that may impact traffic on Saturday afternoon.
PPB is aware of multiple groups who are planning to gather in Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 Southwest 6th Avenue, on Saturday, April 19, 2025 sometime after 11:00 a.m. Some groups have stated they plan to march. The expected attendance is unknown, but could reach into the thousands as was seen on April 5, 2025 (find out more about that event here). Exact timing and route information is not known at this time.
As with previous events, PPB Dialogue Officers, who are specially trained police officers who serve as liaisons for demonstration participants, have reached out to organizers and anticipated participants. Communication allows the Police Bureau to plan ahead and have adequate resources on hand to ensure a safe event. PPB Liaisons can be reached at ppbliaison@police.portlandorego…. Any information shared is sincerely appreciated. As of this writing, PPB is not aware of any permits for a march being issued. Organizers obtaining a permit can help ensure safety for participants because officers can control traffic ahead of the march to avoid any injuries or conflicts with vehicles. It also allows emergency vehicles such as fire and medical responders to plan alternate routes and reach people in need faster. Permit applications can be made here, or organizers can reach out to Dialogue Officers for assistance.
On Saturday, participants should expect to see Dialogue Officers in white uniform shirts, as well as patrol officers on bicycles, motorcycles, and in patrol SUVs. Officers are there to facilitate safety, assist with traffic control as needed, and address any criminal behavior should it happen. Participants should feel free to discuss public safety concerns or planning information with any available officer.
Should there be a need to send out event related information from PPB, announcements may be made on a marked Portland Police Bureau vehicle equipped with a loudspeaker. We will post on PPB’s events account on X (formally Twitter).
On Friday, April 4, 2025, prior to the April 5th event, PPB hosted a news conference previewing the planning process. At the press conference, we introduced an internationally recognized expert on public order policing, as well as the psychology and dynamics of crowd behavior. Clifford Stott is a professor of Social Psychology at Keele University in the United Kingdom, and he spent the week in Portland conducting training workshops for PPB, helping further improve our response to public order events.
Photo descriptions:
Two Dialogue Officers in white uniform shirts walk along outside of a march on the sidewalk
Professor Stott at April 4th News Conference
###PPB###