The city of Battle Ground has been getting more attention this week than the small southwest Washington community typically receives, due to national coverage of two recent city proclamations.
Social media posts of a Monday June 1 Battle Ground City Council meeting drew widespread coverage after Mayor Eric Overholser signed two proclamations designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization and expressing support for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Both proclamations from the city of about 23,000 residents address issues that have been the subject of national debate for many months.
In a Thursday interview with The Center Square, Overholser said citizens brought him the suggested proclamations and as mayor, he has the right to advance those or not.
“I really thought it was important just to represent Battle Ground on these broad-based issues. Battle Ground is a lovely town, and the focus was to just kind of make the statement that Battle Ground believes in the rule of law, and that we support law enforcement,” said Overholser.
Antifa, short for anti-fascists, is a decentralized group of people who oppose far-right extremism. The proclamation didn’t specify any violent incidents associated with Antifa in Battle Ground, but said they had occurred.
During the reading of the proclamation, members of antifa standing in the back of the room began to hurl profanities at the mayor and were ultimately dragged out of the hearing room by police officers.
“F-you!” a woman with a black flag began shouting as the mayor spoke. Officials then motioned for police to ask her to leave. “I’ll stand right here. I’m not f’ing moving,” she said.
Footage posted to social media shows officers gradually pushing the woman out of the room. “Hold on, hold on, hold on. There’s no need to get physical,” said her companion.
Overholser called it unfortunate that the meeting was interrupted by the protesters but told The Center Square he has seen the same agitators at other meetings.
The other proclamation expressed support for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as “a reaffirmation of the rule of law, national security, and the principle that laws passed by a democratic society must be enforced.”
The proclamations come after several other recent suggested proclamations promoting pro-LGBTQ stances were rejected.
“I'm not necessarily the guy that wants the social media attention or my face on any kind of television show or anything like that. I definitely wasn't seeking that kind of attention,” said Overholser.
“But it kind of goes back to representing our city well and having a pulse on our constituents and how they feel. And I think this represented that,” he added.
“Whether it means that you're going to face the fire or not, I suppose that shouldn't be a factor in what we're doing to represent our citizens.”
A letter to the editor in The Columbian Thursday was sharply critical of both resolutions, encouraging readers to boycott the area.
"I will respond to these actions by refraining from all consumer spending in the city of Battle Ground, until said proclamations are repealed. Fighting authoritarianism requires aggressive tactics, and boycotts are one of the most effective tactics to affect change through economic pressure. If local businesses lose enough money over this, the community will feel compelled to change course," wrote the author.
Overhulser said a large number of citizens have reached out by email and phone messages since the Monday meeting. He said the majority have been supportive of the proclamations being adopted, however some have voiced objections.
“And that’s everyone’s right. We’re not always going to agree on everything," he said.
"That’s what makes this nation great and what makes Battle Ground great. It’s the values and opinions of the people I’m trying to bring forward.”
This report was first published by The Center Square Washington.
