Portlanders came together on Sunday to ride in solidarity with a cycling team based 7,000 miles away. The Great Ride of Return was organized by Palestinian liberation activists and the new Revolutionary Bicycle Club as part of a global gathering in support of the Gaza Sunbirds Cycling Team.
The Gaza Sunbirds are a para-cycling team that began in 2020 to raise awareness for Palestinians with special needs and to foster a competitive spirit among athletes with disabilities. When Israel attacked Palestine in response to an invasion by Hamas in October 2023, the Sunbirds were thrust into the global spotlight.
A few riders donned Gaza Sunbirds jerseys and jackets on Sunday as about 70 people gathered at Peninsula Park in north Portland before the ride. They shared commemorative spoke cards and heard a few speakers before rolling out. I spoke to one man named Perry as he readied the speaker pulled behind his bike in a cargo trailer.
“I’m here to support the Palestinian people. I think we need to do what we can as humanity to come together and fight for these inhumane practices that are going on,” Perry said. Asked about what cycling had to do with the event, he added, “Pedal power is it’s just the most efficient way of mobilizing, and we don’t have to rely on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are funding this genocide. They’re directly connected with fueling these tanks and aircraft carriers.”
Joel F. was going around and lubing bicycle chains for free. “This is one of the more critical concerns that the world has right now,” he shared with me. “It really is a genocide happening in Palestine and in other parts of the world as well as Sudan and Congo — and we can’t let that happen on our watch, not without being out here and saying, ‘This is not right.'”
I asked a woman who had a “Ceasefire Now” sign on her bike what the Gaza Sunbirds mean to her. “They represent resilience and resistance and riding, enjoyment, and life.”
Another man, who was one of many folks wearing a keffiyeh traditional Arabic headdress, said the Gaza Sunbirds’ resilience, “Is what’s best of humanity.” “And I just love anyone that is willing to get out in the rain and ride and have a common purpose for a better world,” he added.
Right before the group got on their bikes and pedaled out of the park for a short loop around the Piedmont and Arbor Lodge neighborhoods, a speaker encouraged the crowd to fight back against fascism, “before it comes for all of us.” After mentioning the disappearance of Mahmoud Kahlil by the Trump administration, she added, “We all have to fight back and speak up against that every day.”
During the ride, the large group took over the road amid intermittent chants of “Free, free Palestine!” and honks and waves of approval from passersby.
The Revolutionary Bicycle Club plans to support another event this week: On Thursday they’ll bring cyclists and bike-based support to Make Some Noise, a protest against Society Hotel owner Jessie Burke that will be held in Old Town.
Listen to an audio report from the ride and view a full gallery of images below.
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The Shift Calendar announcement for the Thursday masked protest at the Society Hotel, warns that there may be violence and arrests. Apparently the hotel owner improved the property and doesn’t want people sleeping on the sidewalk. That is hardly an infraction in league with Netanyahu, but our cancel culture clique takes any excuse to “protest “
Sigh
Some people always find a cause to be violent or destructive about.
“…warns that there may be violence and arrests” is a pretty dramatic stretch of what the shift listing actually says. But I’m sure you already know that.
For everyone more inclined to meaningful action than to willfully misinterpreting ride descriptions, I hope to see you out there on Thursday with your bells, washboards, maracas, tap dancing shoes, fiddles, electric drills, leaf blowers, and accordions. Or, y’know, just your voice (raise it loud against oppression everywhere).
Both the Shift post and the Revolution Cycling Club post issue that warning. You may claim, or actually be, non violent “good guys “ but by issuing that warning you acknowledge the fact that violent disruptors commonly piggyback onto Portland events to exercise their anarchic destruction. Being in league with violent agitators sort of takes the shine off the “good guy” status
Neither the shift listing nor IG post contain warnings of violent anarchic agitators. For anyone reading this thread, I’d advise you to go read the shift listing yourself.
Honestly curious what Burke has done to warrant such attention. On the Letters for Palestine Insta it said….
“frequently calls the cops on people trying to take care of their community.” and then some people who Burke associates with. Is there anything juicer that you can tell us about what Burke is doing to oppress the people to justify the hearing damaging protest?
Since you’re “honestly curious”, I’m sure you read the Shift posting, which reads:
“Rather than being a good neighbor to mutual aid groups in old town, Jessie Burke has used her connections with cops and conservative politicians (she is the former campaign manager of DA Nathan Vasquez) to try and criminalize their work. She has been calling the cops on people just trying to give out free meals and supplies (which isn’t illegal) while also using her position to influence politics in the interest of her business.” I’m sure you’ll be able to learn more specific info on the ride, which is not likely to damage your hearing (i hope you’re kidding).
Anyway, that shift post is completely unrelated to the article we’re commenting under. Weird, it’s almost as if some people simply can’t help but find a way to whine and complain on here
Hi nubaloo,
I didn’t read the “Shift post” or whatever that is. I just followed the link in the article which took me to Instagram.
So the reason for the protest is she calls the cops on people and tries to influence politics to enrich herself? Well, I certainly hope she’s the only one who does that.
Not really the outrageous crimes that are oppressing people that I was expecting.
What is the article that you are commenting under if not the one that links to Instagram so I don’t have to whine and complain?
As far as the hearing damage, if you don’t think that’s real you might suggest to people who are advertising the event to stop suggesting they bring earplugs and other hearing protection and maybe work yourself on making it more appealing to those on the fence rather than jump to sarcasm.
Maybe the person I asked the question of has better answers than what you’ve provided?
The person you asked the question of would also advise you to read the shift post. If you don’t know what shift is then I’m not entirely sure what you’re doing in the comments section on an article about biking in Portland, and you’re gonna have to do some soul searching to figure that one out for yourself
I ride about 10,000 miles a year for over 20 years in Portland and I have never looked at Shift. Ever.
Why does anyone need to ‘soul search” over not knowing what I presume is Bike fun. I don’t ride for fun or any kind of movement.
I ride for transportation. Go figure that out.
from the listing: “All protests carry some risk of arrest/police violence”. You’re being a bit dramatic, no? Maybe try some deep breathing exercises.
Your post is a great example of how “cancel culture” nowadays usually means, simply, “people getting mad about something i don’t care about”.
I am not naive regarding violence in Portland. Agitators commit crimes, including property damage and their theatrical disruptions add to Portland’s reputation as an unsafe city. I very much care about this issue.