Portland councilwoman: Protests due to ‘white male privilege’

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The first black woman to be elected to Portland’s City Council says “white male privilege” is to blame for disruptions and raucous protests during weekly council meetings.

KGW reports Jo Ann Hardesty , who joined the council this year, said in a statement Tuesday the men act “disruptive, disrespectful and self-centered,” and those behaviors may discourage first-timers from visiting the council and participating in local politics. The longtime Portland activist said she ran with a promise that anyone and everyone will have a “respectful interaction” with leaders at City Hall.

Protests are common at Portland City Hall, sometimes by members off anti-fascist, or “antifa,” groups who cover their faces with masks and hoods.