Chanting, shouting and singing, a small group of activists who have confronted Mayor Ted Wheeler at past City Council meetings once again shut down the public session Wednesday.

Wheeler wasn't even at City Hall -- he had jury duty about a block away at the Multnomah County Courthouse. Three people were later arrested after they refused to leave a City Hall entryway.

Mimi German, one of the group's organizers, said Wheeler has failed to deal with homelessness, the fatal police shooting of an African American teenager suspected in an armed robbery and police handling of anti-Trump protesters taking to city streets from the hundreds to the thousands. She called for his resignation.

Wheeler has met with German, an organizer with Don't Shoot Portland, in the past. He responded to questions informally after she led protesters to shut down a council meeting in January. His staff also recently met with her and other activists.



She said the mayor's staff members responded positively to the protesters' suggestions on how to deal with the homeless crisis but haven't implemented them.

City Hall Protest Feb. 22 24 Gallery: City Hall Protest Feb. 22

Wheeler also responded Tuesday to criticism from the ACLU and others that police have used excessive force against protesters marching without permits and blocking city streets.

He said he and Police Chief Mike Marshman will "meet with concerned parties and members of the community to discuss how we can best reduce tensions moving forward. It is my expectation that policing in Portland will improve. I ran on a platform of police accountability and I intend to see it through."

Another group of demonstrators filed an application to march Wednesday afternoon to the mayor's house, but later canceled the plan.

German and Star Stauffer, another activist who has helped interrupt council meetings three times this year, made statements at 9 a.m. in front of City Hall. They then walked into council chambers with about a dozen other people.

Some protesters were already inside, nearly filling the first floor of the room.

Council President Chloe Eudaly opened the meeting by reading guidelines tailored toward the protesters so they could participate in the meeting.

Immediately after, German walked in front of the dais and began loudly calling for Wheeler's resignation. Eudaly called a recess after unsuccessfully urging German to allow the meeting to proceed.

For about 45 minutes, protesters chanted, sang and talked about their grievances into the live microphones where residents can give public testimony to the council.

Eventually, most of the group broke off for work or to chant outside.

Eudaly sat down with German in the chambers and offered to restart the meeting and listen to her public testimony. German refused, saying that the group would leave if police came to arrest them, but otherwise planned to keep the meeting on pause.

"This is a really uncomfortable position for me to be in because I share your concerns and want to hear what you have to say, but this is not an effective use of our time," Eudaly said. "You guys are deciding your voices are more important than anyone else in this room."

Disrupting meetings is the only way to have their voices heard, German said. "We need to make a point. This can't be business as usual."

Eudaly left, security guards cleared the room of protesters and the council meeting resumed.

Police arrested Christopher McGregor, left, Zachary Pursley and Jeffrey Singer on Feb. 22, 2017.

Police said they arrested three protesters -- Christopher McGregor, Zachary Pursley and Jeffrey Singer -- around noon after they refused to leave a City Hall entryway. They had been asked to leave the building, police said, and stayed there unlawfully. Others left when officers got there, according to police.

Jail records show the trio faces interfering with a peace officer and second-degree trespassing charges. McGregor and Pursley also face second-degree disorderly conduct charges, according to jail records.

Each of the men were booked into jail. Records indicate Pursley and Singer were released on their own recognizance Wednesday.

McGregor remained in Multnomah County's Inverness Jail on $5,000 bail. Court records show he was sentenced in January to two years of probation and 60 days in jail, with credit for time served, for third-degree assault.

-- Molly Harbarger

mharbarger@oregonian.com

503-294-5923

@MollyHarbarger

Jim Ryan of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report