Protesters in Portland, Oregon, torched a statue of an actual elk, the Thompson Elk, amid calls for police reform.
Twitchy reports the Thompson Elk has stood in downtown Portland since 1900 and was constructed in memory of David P. Thompson’s arrival to Oregon in 1853.
The statue is of an elk, commissioned to represent nature. There are no racial connotations.
Oregon Live reported in 2011 that Thompson “had worked his way across the Oregon Trail by driving sheep, only to be hornswoggled out of payment by an Oregon City sharper.”
And:
To forgo starvation, he spent the winter chopping 200 cords of wood for a steamboat captain.
Having worked as a surveyor in Ohio, he was hired to survey the railroad route around Willamette Falls, then spent 20 years in that profession. Along the way came opportunities in mining, railroads, banking and manufacturing, and a substantial fortune.
Active in politics, he served at various times in the Oregon Legislature as both a Democrat and Republican, as governor of Idaho Territory (1875-76), Portland mayor (1881-1885) and U.S. minister to the Ottoman Empire (1892-93).
The protesters (anarchists) set it ablaze solely to be destructive.
Watch the destruction below, via Twitchy:
Elk fire keeping me warm. N.W.A. playing in the background. pic.twitter.com/SwkvPFtgGN
— Tuck Woodstock (@tuckwoodstock) July 2, 2020
Peaceful Antifa/BLM/full-time protestors/bored and angry kids set Elk statue on fire in Portland. Elk’s are a famous symbol of racism, and only a fascist would regret seeing this statue burn. No justice, no Elk. pic.twitter.com/U0mx8qMVay
— Mike (@Doranimated) July 2, 2020
The elk statue in Portland is burning. The elk owned slaves. This is how we end racism. Thank you Antifa. pic.twitter.com/fL38OKO5HL
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 2, 2020
Wtf did Elk ever do to anyone. #ElkLivesMatter
Seriously though, this is BS and I’m tired of watching my beautiful city burn. @tedwheeler and @KateBrownForOR need to resign!
— Carissa Hansen (@CarissaHansen92) July 2, 2020
Hope you feel good about your vandalizism. The elk was donated by former BBC Portland mayor David P. Thompson in 1900 to commemorate the elk that once lived in the area. Thompson was also president of the Oregon Humane Society. @StagulaRasa @wweek https://t.co/JUlL3TdFPg
— Portland Joe (@portland_joe) July 2, 2020
Sacrifices for the elk. May he watch over us tonight
[email protected] pic.twitter.com/qcJeBV2apr
— #DEFENDPDX™ 🖤 (@defendpdx) July 2, 2020
As Twitchy reports, protesters previously targetted the statue after Donald Trump was elected to the presidency.
Demonstrators deface famous #Portland elk statue. It's tagged with "F— Trump!" and a section is burned. #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/ExPQ0ejQy8
— Jackie Labrecque (@JackieLabrecque) November 10, 2016
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