Dispatch 12: Return to America: Portland -- No Police, No Peace

My sense after a week back in America: here in Portland, BLM/ANTIFA and other far-left factions are strong for limited action, but their life-force is being sapped. They seem to sense they are losing ground. They say so, even on the microphone on stage. There is no action at all tonight -- not that I saw, anyway.

However: BLM/ANTIFA in particular is losing support base. Not lost. Just slipping. My sense is BLM/ANTIFA still have much support in Portland but they are losing ground.

Similarly, my sense is that various law agencies also are very stressed due to feeling/knowing that civilian leaders often do not have their backs. They cover the backs of BLM/ANTIFA.

My sense: The chance of Portland Police walking off the job in next few months is real. I am not an insider. Only they know. If Police walk off the job, everything goes. Even if Police strike for a single day to make a point, the consequences could be severe. For those who have been in situations when police walk or are run off from the stations, you know how bad this gets. Instantly.

I am not saying this is close to being over. BLM and ANTIFA are both running separate insurgencies. Insurgencies have more lasting power than mere protests. BLM and ANTIFA are cross-pollinating for now. Later they will fight each other. That is my sense. They both are using each other for the moment.

Portland ain't Japan. Japan is 10x more civilized. Japanese can survive without police.

In Portland: No Police, No Peace.

If I were a Portland resident, I would start thanking police I know or see. It makes a difference.