Portland Anti-Racists: Downtown Shooting was Likely a Neo-Nazi Ambush

Rose City Antifa Portland Indymedia

Anti-Racist Targeted in Saturday Morning Attempted Murder
Portland, Oregon - In a city that still remembers the 1988 beating death
of Mulugeta Seraw by three racists, a recent downtown shooting may thrust
the issue of white supremacist violence into the forefront of public
consciousness once again.

A local anti-racist organization claims that the early morning shooting in
downtown Portland on March 27, whose survivor remains in Intensive Care,
was most likely an attempted murder by one or more neo-Nazis. The victim of
the shooting, Luke Querner, is an entrenched and beloved figure in the
anti-racist community. He has devoted over a decade of his life to opposing
Portland's white power movement.

Luke Querner was shot at approximately 12:20AM on Saturday morning, in an
unprovoked attack on SW 5th Avenue, between Stark and Washington Street.
The shooting appears to have been well-orchestrated; the assailant
concealed his identity, fleeing at least initially by foot in a
closely-surveilled area.

The attempted murder of Querner occurs in the context of escalating
activity from a racist underground that believes it can operate with
impunity. The past half year has been one of increasing audacity from local
white supremacists, with organizations such as Volksfront, the Northwest
Front and the National Socialist Movement drawing closer together. Members
of these and similar organizations--as well as cliques on their
periphery--share information about anti-racists and the Left, and have been
increasing their actions against such targets.

Portland Anti-Racist Action believes that the attempted murder of Querner
was a political act, most likely by neo-Nazis. To treat this violence as
gang-related obscures its political context and almost certainly misses its
point. The shooting seems designed to send a message and to intimidate
anti-racists. Portland ARA criticizes the police's choice to release
Querner's name on Sunday, placing him at further risk. The organization
also questions the police portrayal of the shooting, which frames the
incident as near-random, rather than as an act of political terror and
attempted assassination. Querner was shot because of his convictions, the
group believes.

"The Portland Police aren't telling the whole story" states Alicia of
Portland ARA, "They have not mentioned the most obvious motive for the
shooting. We fear that they are more interested in smearing the victim than
in uncovering the truth. Our thoughts go out to Luke right now."

An expanded statement with further details surrounding the shooting is
available on the website: rosecityantifa.org. Information on how to
contribute to Querner's medical bills and related expenses may also be
found on this site. Portland Anti-Racist Action continues to be interested
in any and all information related to white supremacist organizing in
Portland and its vicinity.

For more information, please contact Portland Anti-Racist Action at
fight_them_back@riseup.net or 971.533.7832 (voicemail.)