The Official Liveblog

This is the official liveblog of Occupy CD2!
Follow the rallies across Oregon's 2nd Congressional District all day Monday, December 5th!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Firedoglake: Occupy CD2: Eastern Oregonians Ask “Where’s Walden?”

Check out the amazing photos of Bend from the Firedoglake coverage! http://my.firedoglake.com/mzchief/2011/12/06/occupy-cd2-eastern-oregonians-ask-wheres-walden/

OPB: Police Arrest Protesters at Walden's Office

OPB News: Police Arrest Protesters at Walden's Office

Police Arrest Protesters at Walden's Office: Mail Tribune (Medford)


Medford police Officer Ericka Doran escorts Peace House member Herbert Rothschild out of Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Walden’s office in Medford on Monday. Rothschild and five other protesters occupied Walden’s office for about seven hours until police escorted them to City Hall, where they were cited and released.

Six protesters were arrested Monday evening when the Occupy Wall Street movement moved into Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Walden's Medford office for a sit-in to protest what they see as Walden's selling out of his votes to big business.

Eight protesters arrived at Walden's downtown office at about 11 a.m. and took over the office's conference room while demanding Walden hold a round of public town hall meetings to hear from constituents about how economic policies and his votes have hurt constituents in his 2nd Congressional District.

Six of the protesters insisted they would not leave until arrested, and Medford police accommodated them shortly after the building's 6 p.m. closure by escorting them out individually and free of handcuffs.

Many waved to supporters standing in the cold Middleford Alley as they were placed in a waiting van and driven to the Medford Police Department, where they were cited on a misdemeanor trespass charge, given court appearance dates and released.

"They were very civil, very polite," Medford police Lt. Greg Lemhouse said.

A simultaneous protest at Walden's Bend office led to a handful of arrests shortly after 6 p.m. as well, Walden spokesman Andrew Whelan said from Washington, D.C., where Walden was on Monday.

Whelan said they called police because the protesters could not be left alone in the office and their disruption of constituent service needed to end.

"It was pretty clear what they were aiming for," Whelan said. "At a certain point you have to wrap it up."
The so-called "Occupy Walden" effort was to showcase protesters' demand that Walden hold five well-publicized and open town-hall meetings in the next five months "so he gets real feedback from real people, not just his buddies who give him money," said Allen Hallmark, one of the arrested protesters and a former chairman of the Jackson County Democratic Party.

Rob Patridge, Walden's district director, met with the protesters and told them Walden has held a dozen town-hall meetings so far this year throughout his vast district, which includes Medford and all of Eastern Oregon.

In fact, Patridge said, Walden already has town-hall meetings set for Dec. 28 in Fossil and Rufus. Walden has visited Medford about once a month since his election 13 years ago and has planned more town-hall meetings here, Patridge said.

While Walden may have a record of town-hall meetings, protesters said their demands were a symbol of how those most affected by changing economic policies have no voice in the current Congress.

"The meetings are a symptom of the problem, but not the problem," said Herbert Rothschild, a Phoenix resident and Ashland Peace House member who was one of those arrested. "People with wealth have much better access than people who don't.

"The real issue here is not Mr. Walden's schedule," Rothschild said. "The real issue is Mr. Walden's votes. His votes are for Wall Street, not our street."

Monday, December 5, 2011

14 Arrested in Occupy CD2 Requesting People's Town Halls with Walden

Six constituents in Medford and eight constituents in Bend were arrested minutes ago for refusing to leave Rep. Walden's offices until he agreed to simply hold public town halls.

Acting in solidarity, 15 people met the Bend arrestees as they were escorted out of the office with signs and the chants, "we are the 99%" and, "where oh where is Walden?"

The Medford Six were brought to the courthouse, cited, and released. Bend constituents were cited and released outside of Walden's office.

They were cited with Criminal Trespass 2 and banned from going to Rep. Walden's offices for one year unless invited.

Update: 6:50PM

Medford was arrested ten minutes ago by five police officers. Walden has made no commitment nor comment.

17 Bend police officers are now at Walden's office for six Occupiers. Will update once more is known.

Bend Police on their way!

KTVZ notified Occupy CD2 that the police were on their way and the announcement went out over the police scanner.

Bend Update: 5:20PM

OPB has joined the Occupation and is interviewing people! The two police officers have left the building. The office doesn't officially close until 6:30PM.

Bend & Medford Update: 4:30PM

Bend: Two police officers have been called. Aides are visibly annoyed that Occupy CD2 will not leave until Walden agrees to holding accessible People's Town Halls. Pizzas were ordered and delivered to the Occupiers!


Medford: Plainclothes detectives came to the Medford office to check out the Occupy CD2 folks. They were all smiles and left unannounced. Pizza was delivered to the Occupiers!