PORTLAND – Police officers in plain clothes arrested a woman in City Council Chambers after she spoke out of turn at a meeting about the sale of Congress Square Plaza and refused to comply with Mayor Michael Brennan’s request for her sit down Monday evening.
Erika Elkins said she has sued the city for $12.9 million and she would like use some of the proceeds to buy the plaza and give it back to the people.
Councilors took a recess, while Police Chief Michael Sauschuck tried to get Elkins to sit down. After several minutes, two plain-clothes officers placed Elkins in handcuffs and led her out of the chamber.
The council is meeting tonight to consider selling two-thirds of Congress Square Plaza to Ohio-based Rockbridge Capital for $524,000 so it can build an event center onto the former Eastland Hotel, which will reopen in December as the Westin Portland Harborview.
The proposal has sharply divided the community, leading to protests, polls and encampments.
Randy Billings can be contacted at 791-6346 or at: rbillings@pressherald.com
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