Portland Tourism Companies Take Out Full-Page Ad in NYT, Praising the City for the "Edge" Its Constant Riots Give It

Riot Tourism.

Which is, of course, Portland's chief export -- sending seasoned, pampered violent revolutionaries to other towns to riot and burn.

Tourism bosses in Portland have taken out a full-page advert in the New York Times admitting the riot-hit city has an 'edge' - but urging visitors to come anyway.

Travel Portland - a nonprofit which oversees the Oregon city's tourism marketing - referenced reports of far-left violence in the city in the ad.

It admits that much of what has been said about Portland - whose 50-strong riot squad resigned last week - was true, and that the city, which endures nightly riots, has an 'edge.'

'You've heard a lot about us lately,’ the NYT ad begins. 'It's been a while since you've heard from us.'

'Some of what you've heard about Portland is true. Some is not. What’s most important is that we’re true to ourselves.'

...

The advert goes on to highlight Portland's problems - and implies that locals don't mind the out-of-control behavior that has made much of the city's downtown area a no-go zone after dark

It says: 'We're a place of dualities that are never polarities. Two sides of the same coin that keeps landing right on its edge. Anything can happen. We like it this way.

'This is the kind of place where new ideas are welcome - whether they're creative, cutting-edge or curious at first glance. You can speak up here. You could be yourself here.'

'We have some of the loudest voices on the West Coast. And yes, passion pushes the volume all the way up. We've always been like this. We wouldn't have it any other way.'

'We have faith in the future. We're building it every day the only way we know how, by being Portland. Come see for yourself.'

There's a video version of the ad. Strangely, the video does not feature images of the riotous "edge" the print ad alludes to.

It does briefly show street protests-- emphasis on the "protests." Not riots. One clip is of a... candlelight vigil.

I don't think candlelight vigils are what Portland is known for.

The video only shows orderly streets and bustling commercial venues. Even the protests are orderly.

Almost as if they think that people don't want to visit a civil war zone.

The video also showcases more sexual diversity than a CIA recruitment ad.

Below, a more accurate video about Portland. Well, okay, it's from Oregon City, 28 minutes from Portland. But this goes on all the time. This is from June 18.

The Proud Boys legally reserved the park, and antifa, illegally, showed up to brawl with them. Of course all the headlines suggest that the Proud Boys started the fight, by... being in a park they reserved.

Another more honest video: the entire Portland riot squad resigning en masse.

Thanks to Tim Pool, who pointed out both the main story and the antifa brawl story.

BTW, Pool says that while the fifty members of the riot squad resigned from that squad, they did not resign from the police. I guess the riot squad is a special detail you volunteer for, and now they've de-volunteered. But they're still Portland cops.

Here's a good reason to visit Portland: the homicide rate is up 533%.

No, that wasn't a typo.

posted by Ace at 05:17 PM

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