The leftist organization behind Portland’s “Day of Rage” riots said its ultimate goal is to “decolonize society by working to abolish colonial systems rooted in racism,” according to the Oregonian.
The group, known as Generational Resistance on Twitter, promoted Sunday’s riots in Portland that resulted in the toppling of an Abraham Lincoln statue and a Theodore Roosevelt statue, as well as damage to several private businesses.
Because the organizers rely primarily on social media to quickly organize and coordinate, Portland officials said they are having a difficult time cracking down on the destruction.
Generational Resistance organizers encourage protesters to shield their identities and keep others from taking pictures and videos of the events.
During Sunday’s riots, protesters were told to take “direct action” against individuals documenting the riots, and to dress in black and “cover up.”
Members of the group have called for the abolition of police, prisons, and capitalism, as well as a return of land to Native American communities and reparations for African American individuals affected by slavery.
“We stand to decolonize ourselves and decolonize society by working to abolish colonial systems rooted in racism and build community rooted in liberation,” the group said in a statement.
The “Indigenous Peoples Day of Rage” was organized by the group in response to Columbus Day, which is a federally recognized holiday.
More than 200 people gathered for the event, which was declared a riot by Portland police shortly after it began.
Protesters tore down statues of Lincoln and Roosevelt, calling them “colonizers.”
“F— all you colonizers!…Everyone of you that’s against Black Lives Matter can f— the f— off.”
Antifa rioters in the process of toppling the Portland statue of Roosevelt. They were soon successful in pulling it down. Video by rioter Tracy Lynn Molina. pic.twitter.com/D5XgfX3slR
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) October 12, 2020
