Salem-based legislative leaders from both parties condemned the physical confrontation of state Sen. Janeen Sollman at a Forest Grove community forum Saturday, Aug. 8, issuing a rare bipartisan call for civility as Salem's own public forums over data centers have drawn hundreds.

Senate President Rob Wagner, House Speaker Julie Fahey, Senate Majority Leader Kayse Jama and House Majority Leader Ben Bowman released a joint statement Sunday, Aug. 9, saying intimidation, threats and physical aggression have no place in Oregon's civic life. Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr of Dundee issued a separate statement the same day echoing the condemnation.

The statements followed an incident at Sollman's 168th Community Conversation, an open outdoor constituent meeting at Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove. According to Hoodline, a 28-year-old constituent identified as Pedro Garcia-Balderrama disrupted the forum for about 10 minutes, got in Sollman's face, cursed at her and grabbed her glasses before throwing them into the bushes.

"I thought he was taking a swing at me," Sollman told The Oregonian/OregonLive on the evening of Aug. 8, describing the moment Garcia-Balderrama moved toward her.

Forest Grove police arrived as Garcia-Balderrama was leaving. He was booked on suspicion of second-degree disorderly conduct and harassment, spent three hours in jail and was released with a no-contact order.

Sollman told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Garcia-Balderrama was focused on data centers and immigration, and she characterized the episode as an act of political violence.

The bipartisan response was notable. Starr acknowledged that he and Sollman disagree on policy but said those disagreements are part of representative government and should never become personal or physical. The four Democratic leaders said public officials should be able to hear from constituents who disagree with them without fearing a disagreement will turn into a physical confrontation.

The incident lands as Salem has grappled with its own charged public forums. A July 27 City Council meeting on the proposed Verrus data center at Mill Creek Corporate Center ran past midnight, drawing hundreds of residents. More than 100 people gathered outside the Salem Public Library holding signs and chanting. On Aug. 3, councilors voted unanimously to begin the process of a moratorium on new data center applications.

No one was physically confronted at those Salem meetings. But the intensity underscores why legislative leaders chose to speak out quickly.

Garcia-Balderrama is scheduled to appear in Washington County court Thursday, Aug. 13.