Building a mass movement
of everyday antifascists
What is
PopMob?
Short for Popular Mobilization, PopMob is a group of concerned Portlanders united around a single, common goal: Inspire people to show up and resist the alt-right with whimsy and creativity. We’re activists and organizers from many groups, including labor rights, arts, education, healthcare, and more. We believe that the people of Oregon don’t want what the alt-right is selling and we know we can push back against hate as one strong community.
Donate today!
PopMob is an entirely volunteer-run organization that depends on community support to cover all costs — that includes everything from PA rental fees to vegan milkshakes to the hosting costs for this website. We fundraise before events so we don’t have to charge for anything at actions. Food, entertainment, and other goodies are always free.
If you like what we’re doing and have a few bucks to spare, please consider making a small donation. Every dollar helps!
Recent events
Umbrella
February 8th, 2020
In January, The Portland Tribune published an article containing an interview with a former Ku Klux Klan “Imperial Wizard” and current NSM member where he claimed he was organizing a KKK rally in Portland on February 8th — a rally that he claimed Joey Gibson and Patriot Prayer supported.
After a few days discussing the possible ramifications of each/any response to this threat, the local antifascist community (including PopMob) decided the safest option was to organize a counter-protest.
Hundreds of antifascists showed up to dance, talk, show off their umbrellas, form the bloc, and/or eat pizza.
Beyond the Ballot Box
January 5th, 2020
In preparation for the coming election year and the continued rise of hate — both nationally and locally — we collaborated with the Portland DSA and numerous other local organizations to put together a panel on antifascist tactics in 2020 and beyond. How can we work together better to support diversity of tactics? Are the St. Paul Principals working for us? What could we do in the coming year to improve our organizing approaches?
In addition to the panel conversation, we had over 15 local organizations tabling, a free bingo game with prizes, and lots of free food. It was a heartwarming night of community building.
The Spectacle
August 17th, 2019
On August 17th, over a thousand everyday antifascists showed up, vastly outnumbering the far-right agitators. We spent our morning cheering on incredible performances and speakers, including NAACP’s E.D. Mondaine, Rabbi Deborah Kolodny, The Unpresidented Brass Band (in full Banana Bloc regalia), Mic Crenshaw, and the jaw-dropping moves of The House of Flora and The House of Ada.
Together we drove out the Proud Boys after just half an hour.
For those who couldn’t join us in person, we created a fundraiser for Causa, a local immigrant rights organization. Everyday antifascists from all over the world pledged for everyone who showed up to the Proud Boy rally. In the end, it added up to over $36,000 raised for immigrant rights.
MilkSHAKE: Shake Back the Streets
June 29th, 2019
On Saturday June 29th, PopMob, Rose City Antifa, Democratic Socialists of America, and hundreds of Portlanders came together to oppose the Proud Boys and alt-right provocateurs gathering in Portland. We created a fun, unique opportunity for this vibrant city to show the world we don’t stand by when hate marches through our streets. It was wildly successful. People danced, laughed, drank delicious vegan milkshakes, and stood in solidarity as a community united against hate. PopMob served over 750 milkshakes to demonstrators, using music and whimsy to create an atmosphere of joyful resistance against the threats posed by Proud Boys and the alt-right contingent.
Our Streets
March 2nd, 2019
In response to recent attacks on queer and trans people in Portland we came together with other local organizations and community members for a full day conference. In addition to handing out safety supplies, we offered classes on self-defense, situational awareness, and de-escalation. There was a poetry workshop, a Local Fash 101 overview, and community discussions — We even partnered with the popular Trans & Queer Clothing Swap that usually takes place at the Q Center. Local counselors, massage therapists, and acupuncturists were also on site to provide free bodywork. It was an incredible day of healing and queer resilience.
Survivor Shoutout
November 17th, 2018
As local alt-right organizations mocked and degraded survivors in downtown Portland on a cold Saturday morning in fall, we came together to amplify the voices of survivors and push back against those trying to silence survivors, erase trans identities, control the bodies of women and people of color, and criminalize families and individuals seeking safety. We gathered in Chapman Square and invited members of the community to share their stories and get loud. A
Prep Conference
November 10th, 2018
Leading up to the Survivor Shoutout, we held a prep conference to help community members get ready for the actions on November 17th. As a part of our aim to bring more people out to protests, we provided a full day of events to support Portlanders who wanted to gain new skills for the upcoming event. We had a sign/banner making station, free safety supplies, and workshops that included know-your-rights training, eye flushing demonstration and practice, and self-defense courses.
All Out PDX
August 4th, 2018
On August 4th, Patriot Prayer invited local racists, xenophobes, and bigots of every stripe to harass and assault people in downtown Portland. Yet again, their event threatened to instigate a toxic brew of violence and hatred that would spill out into the streets and send people to the hospital. More than 1,000 of us gathered in front of City Hall and marched to the waterfront to show the alt-right who’d come to threaten Portland’s most vulnerable communities that their hatred and brutal street violence will no longer be tolerated here, or anywhere.