What seemed like a regular meeting of Marxist-Leninist-Maoists at Powell’s Books in Portland, Oregon turned into a full-blown occupation after the group of 50 communists took over the bookstore and declared the “People’s Sovereign Republic of Powell’s Books.” 

In a statement released to Eugene Weekly, the group writes, “After heated debates over how we can secure the future of our revolution, we decided that we must take direct action against the bourgeois dictatorship of Portland City Manager Raymond Lee and begin our 100,000 year protracted people’s war.” 

The PSRPB writes that it will continue to occupy Powell’s Books until the revolution is finished and that the group will receive material support from the American Communist Party. The party says it urges its comrades in Eugene to begin a similar struggle against the newest City Manager Jenny Haruyama.