It’s rumored some minutemen are planning to protest this afternoon’s meeting of the mayor’s committee to decide on the siting of an East Side center for day laborers. I’m sitting in the meeting right now, and can’t see any obvious minutemen. But I can see this guy:Protestor: Don’t ask me…

He’s holding a sign that says “revolucion!”. I have absolutely no idea what he’s protesting or what he’s on about. But the room is full—there are representatives from Voz, the Mayor’s Office, police, business owners and neighbors from around the city.

I am also sitting next to a guy called David Cross, who describes himself as a “concerned citizen.” He’s delivered copies of a letter he’s written to the city commissioners and the mayor’s office before coming to the meeting, and from what I can gather, is very much against the building of a center for the day laborers. He’s a big chap with short hair and very big boots on.

The meeting is being facilitated by Judith Mowry of Resolutions Northwest—who also facilitated the January controversial meeting between the Chinese Community and the Regional Arts and Culture Council over the dragon sculptures in Old Town. I’ll let you know what happens.

5:30pm: The meeting ended officially after half an hour. But now Cross is challenging Mowry, asking her: “are you employed by the city?” She’s telling him she’s a consultant and got the job as a result of an RFP process. He says he was here thinking the meeting was about discussing whether the city is for or against the day laborer center. Mowry says that’s not right. It’s about deciding the siting. Cross says he doesn’t know why the city is doing this “for a group of people, my concern is that the City of Portland follow all rules and regulations relating to federal and state law. I’m concerned that this site may not follow state regulations because of the hiring practices where day laborers are concerned.” Here’s the exchange:CROSS MAN:David Cross.

Mowry has told Cross she “believes in democracy,” and although he was not allowed to talk during the workgroup meeting, she has given him a comment card to fill out. I wonder what he’ll write on it…

6:02pm: As I was leaving City Hall, I saw a group of about twenty protesters, armed with a megaphone. A group of them followed one lady, dressed in pink pants, who had been in the meeting, with the megaphone, as she got into her car. They shouted:

This lady is with Oregonians For Immigration Reform, a racist group that spreads lies on its website. A racist group with good Public Relations maybe, but a racist group just the same.

The loudspeaker guy wouldn’t give his name or affiliation, but said “You can use the name PAX.” The alleged OFIR lady in pink pants wouldn’t give me her name, either.And finally, as if all that wasn’t outlandish enough, a lady just walked past city hall wearing a gray leotard with pink neon spandex cycling shorts. I should hang around down here more often, it’s far more entertaining than sitting behind my desk at the office.Weird Afternoon: The icing on the cake.