About 70 people braved last night's freezing temps to hold a candlelit vigil at City Hall marking one week since Occupy Portland's tent city was booted from the nearby parks. Organizer Jordan Ledoux asked people to recognize that Occupy Portland had been a "safe space" for some homeless people who are now back out on their own. The event was quiet, peaceful, and friendly. TV news crews lights and the spotlights now illuminating the parks across the street gave the candlelit event an eerie bright light.
A few blocks away, some Occupiers had been planning to try and stay in the South Park Blocks overnight, but I think the cold may have driven them away. By the time I got there at 11pm, the only thing left of the occupation was a police car on stakeout and this lonely sign:
