In this segment of Fox and Friends First, Host Carley Shimkus, discusses the shock of the devastating attack on
Bison Coffeehouse, owner Loretta Guzman, with the damages to her coffeeshop, just hours after advertising an upcoming “Coffee with a Cop” event in Portland.
Having own her shop for many years Ms. Guzman, a stable figure in the Portland community, “has hosted” events such as this in previous years “about three times” she said in 2015, 2016 & 2017, when asked by the police department. She said that though she never hovered over people to hear their concerns that they did come with questions on paper to ask law enforcement and the event always seemed positive.
This year, they approached her to see if she would again host the event and she agreed. Guzman noted that there were many positive comments on her Facebook Page when she posted the following note there on October 4th-
“as we move forward to make a difference for a future. Coffee with a cop Wednesday, October 5, 2022 from 8 AM to 10 PM come sit and discuss what is your concern and make a positive difference.”
Loretta Guzman, Owner, Bison Coffeehouse
Guzman did notice that there began to be “negative posts”, but did not give them much notice, because of all the previously positive comments that she had received. Awakened to a call from a friend, to the fact that police were at her business and that her doors and windows had been smashed, she rushed to the shop to assess the damages.
Obviously done in a fit of rage, the chaos she found was devastating, with her doors and windows shattered, inside of the coffeehouse walls had been spray painted, floor to ceiling with white paint and glass was everywhere. Her assumption is that this crime was related to the fact that she was to host this upcoming event.
In this interview, Guzman stated that people off the street came in and grabbed rags, friends and patrons came over to her shop and the community around her rallied to help her to scrub paint and clean the coffeehouse immediately.
Despite the fact that the café was vandalized before the coffee event, she did hold the event which friends and patrons urged her to do.
Shimkus reported that-
“Portland’s Mayor stated that - the guys that did this to you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, including possibly federal hate-crime charges”.
-Carley Shimkus, Fox & Friends Host
What a demonstration of solidarity in a community rocked in recent months and years by hatred and violence. America needs more shop owners like Guzman and the communities like those in Portland, who rallied to help her business fight this anarchy. Though the mob who hit her business intended devastation, the true nature of the America that exists, came out - one of compassionate courage! Go U.S.A.!
"True courage is not the brutal force of vulgar heroes, but the firm resolve of virtue and reason."
- Alfred North Whitehead