June 15th, 2020: First Live-Tweeting

Gonna try to live-tweet tonight's Justice Center protest–not something I'm very good at. It'll be a fun experiment for everyone

The Pioneer square crowd just got here. Hundreds here, approaching the new, smaller fence. Cops are very visible within the justice center boundary

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

First PPB warning. Hard to hear them over the crowd. I think they're ordering us into the park and out of the street: an absurd demand, since we've been standing in these streets for 2+ weeks and they are, as they say Our Streets pic.twitter.com/CxC6Sj3yUK

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

They are now talking about danger to the people inside the justice facility. I think I see where this is going. After all, if people are in danger, they can use their tear gas

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

People shining spotlights at the cops. Now they know how we've felt for the last 2 weeks at the fence

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

It's hard to tell where the police are other than the justice center. I heard someone say they're circling and I believe it: the L-RAD announcements seem to be coming from different angles each time. Not a lot of announcements in the last few minutes. Settling into chanting

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

Aggressively shining searchlights into the crowd, as though looking for something. Or just being dicks. Or both

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

At or next to a Chipotle pic.twitter.com/5i1hDjPW2b

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

Portland police instructing people to move West. No one is doing this. People running towards justice center

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

Police fire point blank into the crowd. Unclear why. Unlawful assembly has not been declared

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

Someone has been shot in the hand with something. They are bleeding. Medics running to help

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

They're lining up. We're moving slowly away. Time to get our cardio for the day

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

Smoke fired. Crowd staying together

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

The one thing we still struggle with is pacing. The front moves too fast. "We are only as fast as the slowest member!!" someone yells over a megaphone.

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

The chants also remind me of the military. Cadence keeps people on rhythm and broadcasts important information. Reminds people to be calm, slow down. Why they're here. Who they are

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

The other group arrives!! We are many. Cheers erupt

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

An argument: where to next? This happens too often during these protests. We've come so far tactically; we have so much farther to go. Group in danger of splitting

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

After some drama the group is more or less back together. Chants of "slow in the front, protect the back!" It's hard to imagine how the front could go any slower

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

Mission top secret, destination unknown. I'll tweet again when we get there. Crowd moving at a slow steady pace, chanting, waking everyone up. No sleep until we fix this broken system

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

Marching through a very wealthy neighborhood. "Wake up, motherfuckers, wake up!"

Double advantage: take the protest to the people with wealth and power, and the cops can't be as brutal with all these well-bred people around

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

"get the fuck back, white boy!!" White boy gets the fuck back

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

This dog is fucking bombproof. 14/10 pic.twitter.com/j0vpBSzX6B

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

A Karen-American confronts the protest, phone up, recording. Appears to be confused about why we're marching and what we hope to accomplish. Two black people calmly explain. She isn't having it. Neither are we. All things considered, everyone is polite

Eventually she leaves

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020

The group seems to be scattering of it's own accord. I'm gonna call it a night. Another one in the books, folks: see y'all tomorrow!

Solidarity to all those still out there

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) June 16, 2020