Oregon At High Risk of Election Related Violence

Oregon is likely to be a target for militia groups and violence during and after the election, according to new research.

On the heels of months of conflict between clashing protesters and law enforcement officers, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Portland city council members and dozens of other local leaders have signed on to a letter, warning against paramilitary groups and threats of election related violence.

This comes as experts name Oregon as a likely hot spot for conflict in a highly charged election environment. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED names Oregon one of the top five states at highest risk of militia activity during the election and afterward, along with Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The researchers warn that quote, “Oregon police are stretched quite thin.”
They say the area’s history as a long term battleground between people on opposite ends of the political spectrum, is a major push factor toward the potential for violence.