Media Advisory
Contact:
Nancy Boever
Indivisible Bend
408-482-8099
indivisiblebend@gmail.com
“WHERE’S WALDEN?” RALLY IN DOWNTOWN BEND FOR TOWN HALL IN BEND WITH REPRESENTATIVE GREG WALDEN
For the fifth consecutive Tuesday, local congressional advocacy groups will hold a rally in Downtown Bend at the corner of Greenwood & Bond, near Representative Walden’s Bend office on Bond Street. Last week was the first time that we were met with an organized counter-protest which appeared to be organized at the behest of Walden’s staff.
According to posts by Robert Eck of the “Oregon Veterans Motorcycle Association” on “The Oregon Tea Party” Facebook page, they responded to “a plea for help” from the staffer after the Valentine’s Day Rally because demonstrators “stormed her office and bullied and intimidated the office staff members”.
This characterization is a far cry from the actual events on Valentine’s Day which can be verified by video of the rally by KTVZ whose reporter was filming the whole time. Although Walden’s staff declined our invitation to come down to address us as a group outside, Nick invited us to come meet with them in their office in groups of ten at a time while the rest of us should wait in the hall where Margie, another staffer, passed out Valentine’s Day candy while chatting with our group and complimenting the creativity of the slogans on our signs.
If a staffer felt threatened, then the appropriate response would be to contact the police and request professionally trained support rather than enabling an untrained motorcycle group and instigating a potential conflict.
Despite the attempt at intimidation, we will be demonstrating again in front of Walden’s office. We will not be silenced and continue to ask our US Representative, Greg Walden, to set a date in 2017 for a Town Hall in Bend, the largest city in Oregon’s Legislative District 2. We ask that an in-person Town Hall in Bend with Representative Walden be scheduled in 2017.
In addition to asking that the House of Representatives, including Representative Walden, investigate Trump’s ties to Russia and his tax returns by supporting Representative Nadler’s Resolution of Inquiry, we would also like to have Greg Walden respond to his staffs’ tactics at intimidating his constituents who are peacefully exercising their rights to assemble and to free speech.
To protect ourselves, we met with the Bend Police to notify them of the situation and our intentions for a peaceful rally. They will be patrolling the area to ensure that the protest remains peaceful.
WHAT: “WHERE’S WALDEN?” RALLY IN DOWNTOWN BEND FOR TOWN HALL WITH REPRESENTATIVE GREG WALDEN
WHO:
Concerned citizens of Central Oregon,
Deschutes Democrats,
Democracy Happens,
Indivisible Bend,
The Vocal Seniority
WHERE:
Downtown Bend, Oregon
Greenwood & Bond Streets
WHEN:
Tuesday, March 6, 2017
11:30AM – 12:30PM
Our posts addressing the intimidation:
Facebook gallery after the event
Our call for Walden to respond (he hasn’t)
And a little background on our past dealings with this office
Media attached below:
