One of the marker stones from the old Jefferson Davis Highway lies still covered in remnants of black paint Aug. 19 after the monument was defaced in an incident claimed by Portland-area antifascists.
One of two former road markers for Highway 99, then known as the Jefferson Davis Highway, sits covered in red paint following vandalism last week.
A privately-owned monument to Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis was defaced last week with Portland-area antifascist activists taking claim for the incident.
The defacement occurred either late Aug. 17 or early morning Aug. 18 and featured black and red paint — colors associated with the antifascist movement — splashed on two engraved stones that at one time marked Highway 99, previously known as the Jefferson Davis Highway.
The Portland Mercury reported Aug. 18 on the attack, publishing photos featuring a sign placed by the vandals prominently over an existing one about Jefferson Davis, exclaiming “Solidarity/Take them all down.”
The Mercury reported that they were contacted by Portland-based antifascists who laid claim to the incident. They stated it was in solidarity with “our comrades in Charlottesville, Virginia” in reference to recent protests and counter-protests that turned fatal in that city earlier this month.
The defacement follows pressure directed at removing Confederate monuments nationwide as a result of the fallout from the rally Aug. 12.
The monument is maintained by the local division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
By Friday afternoon, local division commander John Sigmon had arrived to survey the scene. The signs were removed by then, but the paint remained.
At that time, Sigmon declined to comment.
Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that Sigmon told them the group has hired armed guards in the meantime until they feel the threat of further vandalism is gone.
“We aren’t going anywhere,” Sigmon told OPB. “And those flags aren’t going anywhere either.”
Ridgefield Mayor Ron Onslow was out of the country when the incident happened. He was disappointed that the property was defaced, though he had issues with the monument itself.
“I certainly wouldn’t have it in the city of Ridgefield,” Onslow remarked. As the monument is on property outside of city limits, it is outside of the jurisdiction of Ridgefield.
Following the purchase of the land parcel by the Sons of Confederate Veterans in 2007, Onslow was invited to the dedication of the monument, but declined. Regardless of feelings on the monument itself, the defacement wasn’t the right way to go about voicing an opinion, Onslow said.
“There’s other ways to do that,” he said.
