Protesters once again jeered and jabbed throughout the Portland City Council meeting Wednesday, mocking commissioners' "aye" votes with throaty, demonic renditions and repeatedly yelling "fascist."

Partly in response, Mayor Ted Wheeler agreed to hold a listening session Friday during which he invited people to complain to him about their grievances on city actions and inactions.

On Wednesday, protesters who verbalized a variety of concerns united around Wheeler's proposal to clamp down on anyone who disrupts City Council proceedings. The council delayed acting on the issue.

It wasn't the protesters, but rather a well-mannered American Civil Liberties Union volunteer who persuaded the council to delay a vote.

That volunteer, attorney Sarah Einowski, said Wheeler's proposed rule prospectively excludes people from meetings, which she said violates the federal and state constitutions. Mayor Ted Wheeler said he wants to work with the ACLU to revise the rule, then bring it back for council consideration.

Einowski empathized with the burden of constantly removing disruptive people, but asked the council to not pass the policy.

"We urge restraint here," Einowksi said. "Slow down. The proposed ordinance is an overreaction, and it is unconstitutional."

A federal judge ruled in December 2015 that excluding a person from a council meeting based on past behavior violates that individual's First Amendment rights.

As drafted, the policy would allow the presiding officer in city meetings to eject people for disruptive, dangerous or threatening behavior for up to 24 hours. It would also enable the person in charge to exclude a disruptive person for as long as a year using a new "administrative exclusions" process.

"I've now been in office for a little over two months and most city council meetings we don't complete," Wheeler said. "Everyone has a right to be heard. It's not a safe or welcoming environment."

Last week, dozens of rowdy protesters interrupted City Council business to demonstrate against the fatal shooting of black teenager Quanice Hayes. Wednesday's smaller but equally raucous crown did not verbalize a singular purpose or concern.

Some challenged the city's definition of gang graffiti. Activist Mimi German, a white woman, called the city's attributing certain graffiti to gangs a racial attack on her community. Another man using his phone to stream the event on Facebook Live yelled that homeless people are dying. Chants of "Fire Marshman!"- referring to Police Chief Mike Marshman - broke out during afternoon testimony on police response to protests.

A hodgepodge of critics, including some City Hall regulars, oppose the mayor's proposal to eject people who speak and act out against city actions or policies in ways that disrupt city business. They argue the policy further demonstrates the mayor's lack of care for police brutality, homelessness and public input.

Others who have attended council meetings urged the council to pass the policy, thanking the commissioners for their patience in dealing with interruptions.

Former Portland resident Stacey Rutledge encouraged commissioners to pass the policy and complimented their patience. She said she started coming to the City Council meetings over concerns about changes to the city's tree code, but felt compelled to testify on civil participation after seeing how people behave.

"Reasonable minds can differ, but we have to have a conversation," Rutledge said. "We cannot keep having a disruptive yelling fest. In a democracy, we all listen to each other."

Activist Sarah Hobbs said she has testified on police shootings at City Hall for the last 3 1/2 years. Wednesday, she told commissioners that last week was the first time she yelled at the City Council.

"It was out of desperation," Hobbs said. "People in here are yelling. They're feeling shut down by the system. We are in here yelling because of fear and desperation."

Hobbs said her desperation comes from the city's lack of communication with the family of Quanice Hayes and with her after a police shooting happened in 2015 across the street from her home. She said the mayor's office should have called the families to explain the investigative process and their efforts to get answers for family members.

"That's what made me so desperate and angry," Hobbs said. "Pick up the phone. You need to be talking to us."

Both proponents and opponents encouraged the mayor to set up a Friday meeting for people to air grievances without interrupting city business. Wheeler agreed to host such a meeting at 11 a.m. Friday in the auditorium of the Portland Building, located at 1120 SW Fifth Ave.

--Jessica Floum

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