Out-of-State Callers Inundate Portland Emergency Dispatchers With Complaints About the June 29 Protest

Emergency dispatchers have fielded almost 100 calls this week from out-of-state callers complaining about the Portland police response to the June 29 protest that has captured national attention.

People as far-flung as Australia have phoned into the police non-emergency line to offer vague complaints about the Portland Police Bureau, antifascists and the assault of conservative journalist Andy Ngo.

"We're not able to take police reports," says Bureau of Emergency Communications spokesman Dan Douthit. "It's odd, people are calling from all over the country."

Some people have been profane, cursing at dispatchers. Others have simply aired frustration with the response to the demonstration where violence broke out.

These four calls, provided by the bureau at WW's request, offer a sample.

Call 1: "That man that hit him, hit him with brass knuckles."

Call 2: "My friend was attacked. His name is Andy Ngo."

Call 3: "You liberal Antifa pieces of shit." (NSFW.)

Call 4: "You guys ought to be ashamed of yourself."

The calls have occupied dispatchers who would otherwise be taking calls from Portlanders reporting crimes and asking for help. (Non-emergency calls are given lower priority, but are answered by the same dispatchers.)

Instead of calling the non-emergency line, people who want to rail against the Portland police about Saturday's protest can contact the Independent Police Review directly, Douthit says.

"Please don't call non-emergency," he adds.