Anarchists Win Streets of Portland, Oregon

There is war of sorts in Portland, Oregon, for the streets. Anarchists is a word I loosely use to describe the people behind the action front, because I know that they started it years ago. They want to take the streets away from automobile traffic and give it over to bicycle riders and pedestrians. The battles flair up every once in a while over supremacy of the streets . Its not without incidents of violence and face offs with police. The last battle was over NE Alberta Street which has become the center of a liberal city within the city of Portland. On every last Thursday of each month there is an art gallery open house on the street with many out door vendors selling on the sidewalk and musicians playing out in the open air. It began with merchants on the street , many of them art galleries in the beginning, doing their self promotion to attract an audience with a street length open house . The neighborhood has evolved since then to a demographic of liberals with an anarchist bent, artists and higher property values. Originally the street was one of Portland's inner city blight areas. The transformation has been remarkable. Last Thursdays have increasingly become a magnet for pedestrian traffic and people who enjoy self expression. Huge crowds now come out where it is hard to estimate the number of people involved It is a welcome release of community creative energy in a City that has been restraining artists and free expressive types in other parts of the city.