Cascadia today: ICE gasses kids in Portland + Seattle grieves teens killed + New fiction from Portland's Sara Jaffe

ICE gasses children, elderly in Portland

A peaceful, well-organized family-friendly march outside the ICE facility in Portland on Saturday turned to chaos as federal agents unleashed tear gas on the march, causing children and elderly people extreme pain and distress, the Portland Mercury reports. Local official quickly condemned the excessive use of force, with Portland mayor Keith Wilson saying "“To those who continue to make these sickening decisions, go home, look in a mirror, and ask yourselves why you have gassed children.”

Protesters and the ACLU quickly sued the feds. Meanwhile, Street Roots looks at the negative health impacts of tear gas, which is particularly harmful to children. In related news, in Salem, a US citizen was injured after federal agents pulled her from a car and demanded to see her papers, according to the Salem Reporter.

“Firing when children are present is probably one of the more dangerous things you could do with tear gas,” – Rohini Haar, Physicians for Human Rights

Local leaders need to do everything they can to mitigate harm from federal agents, and work to remove ICE from Cascadia. Last week, Seattle mayor Katie Wilson announced her office will direct the Seattle Police to monitor and protect residents from ICE, and the Portland city council has been considering imposing additional permitting limits on the ICE facility.

Seattle's Rainier Beach neighborhood mourns two teens killed

The South Seattle Emerald reports on how the Rainier Beach neighborhood in Seattle is mourning the deaths of two teens in a fatal shooting. More than a hundred people attended a vigil on Saturday, the Emerald reports. To support community efforts to end gun violence that don't involve more police, visit Community Passageways and Choose 180.

OR legislative session begins today

OPB reports on the opening of the five-week Oregon legislative session today, noting that legislators will have to work quickly to address a beleaguered transportation plan, a $300 million budget gap, and responses to ICE goons (including a police masking ban). Oregon Capital Chronicle looks a various bills on the docket, including one that would de-couple Oregon's income tax from the federal code, boosting revenue by $700 million. Cascadia Democratic Action will be in Salem at noon on Thursday February 5. If you live in Oregon, join them in telling your legislators to support these measures:

• HB 4138 requiring law enforcement officers to wear visible identification and prohibiting face-obscuring masks
• HB 4143 Authorizing the governor to withhold moneys owed to the federal government if federal funds are being withheld in contravention of a court order (Read more at Cascadia Journal about this bill.)
• HB 4114 allowing Oregon residents to sue federal immigration officials for violations of their rights
• Disconnecting Oregon’s income tax code from the federal code, preventing $900 million loss in state tax revenue (no bill number yet)

Quatsino First Nation develops renewable energy

The Narwhal reports on a solar power project completed by the Quatsino First Nation on the northern tip of Vancouver Island. The project will save the community $18,000 in energy costs each year and is part of an effort across British Columbia to help Indigenous nations build and maintain renewable energy projects. Meanwhile, the Vancouver Sun reports that, due to climate change, snowpack in southern BC is at 67% below normal this year, posing challenges for ski areas, water supply, and salmon survival.

Portland writer Sara Jaffe's stories explore queer parenthood

The Portland Mercury reviews local author Sara Jaffe's new collection of stories, Hurricane Envy, which explores queer parenting in the context of growing fascism, genocide against Palestine, and the possibility your kids have ringworm.

Thanks for reading. Keep loving and keep fighting! --Andrew