My backyard reeked of tear gas yesterday. I've been wanting to write a longer-form piece about what's been going on around me, but it turns out living through history actually totally sucks and I write slowly. This is based on conversations with protestors as well as videos from reporters who were livestreaming that night, plus a little bit of eyewitness documentation from yours truly. Please do share this if you feel it's useful.
For those outside of Portland: the main events happened in the Stark St (which runs east-west) and 122nd St (runs north-south). Street numbers go down as you head east, get higher as you go west.
Friday night was the 100th or so night of protests. People gathered in Ventura Park, a small park around 113th and Stark, 8ish blocks from my house. It was peaceful - there were speeches, music playing, performers. Around 112th and Stark, about 40 cops, with riot vans and an LRAD, assembled.[1]
The protestors intended to march up and down 122nd Ave. It's a main thoroughfare – think one of those wide streets with car lots on either side. But cops moved in very quickly. They claimed that the assembly required a permit (which is false: protests do not require permits[2]) This was interesting – it’s the first time I’ve heard this stated by cops in the 100 days protests have happened. Cops attempted to restrain protestors so they couldn’t leave the park[3].
At this point, protestors went in a few directions. There were conflicting messages being given to the crowd – “stick together” and “be like water” (as in, disperse) were shouted out. Some folks were pushed by PPB through neighborhoods
About 10pm, Portland Police called it a riot and immediately deployed teargas. Protestors threw fireworks, and one Molotov cocktail. Several protestors were caught on fire, one badly injured – the less injured protestors were immediately arrested once the fire was put out.
Read that again – someone else threw a Molotov cocktail. The cops arrested the people who were hit by it.
Arrests started early. In previous protests, cops have tended to wait it out until close to midnight, then arrest people, but people were being arrested before 10pm. In addition, cops assaulted press on the scene[4] as they were filming arrests being made.
The Egg happened. From @catalinagaitan_, “Officers arrest a protester and point out an egg on the sidewalk they say the protestor had been carrying. Press is pushed back away from The Egg.”
We laugh, but– any excuse to shut down lawful protests. Just because we can laugh at what the cops say doesn’t mean our civil liberties aren’t being destroyed.
Portland Police kept up a steady stream of “for the safety of the neighborhood”. The neighborhood kept up a steady stream of “stop launching tear gas at us”. At least one parent was recorded on their property, yelling at police to stop deploying tear gas because their 1 year old infant was sleeping in their house.[5]
Reminder as well that Ventura Park is part of…Ventura Park Elementary School. Tear gas sticks, it seeps into the ground. Cops poisoned an elementary school. Studies are showing that tear gas can have long-term effects – and these are against children. [6]
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| Red box: Ventura Park, where tear gas was deployed. Next to it, you can see the location of Ventura Park Elementary School. Black box is approximate location of my house - where I could strongly smell tear gas. |
What boggles my mind is that we’re at 100 DAYS of protesting, and I have yet to hear of a cop quitting. How absolutely brainwashed do you have to be to not stop and think, “are we handling this right?”
Now listen. I’m a pretty boring person. I don’t go for conspiracy theories, I try to look for the best in everyone, and truth is important to me. So when I tell you, I’m scared shitless, I’m not exaggerating.
Portland Police are rogue, and they are meeting any opposition with violence. It’s not going to get better. Ted Wheeler has completely abdicated control over the police, yet keeps control in name only so no one else has authority to do anything.
I’m really afraid this is the scenario we’re headed towards: Biden wins the election. Trump refuses to relinquish command, and sends more troops into “liberal towns” – my hometown – to crush the opposition. Portland Police are already armed and practiced at suppressing local protests. Local organizers are arrested, or simply killed by police.
People have died already. You really think this is going to stop?
Vote Biden. Vote local. Keep protesting. Black Lives Matter.
Notes
[1] Photographed about 8:30pm
[2] https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights/
[3] https://www.aclu-or.org/en/press-releases/aclu-oregon-sues-city-portland-kettling-protesters
[4] Tweeted video by @MathieuLRolland: “Just got thrown to the ground by PPB while documenting an arrest”
[5] Tweet from @PDXzane and many others
