August 8th: Fire in the PPA, ACLU Observer Arrested and Brutalized

Hello! I'm covering the action at at Peninsular Park tonight. The schedule calls for music, speakers at 8, and then a march at 9. Let's see what happens!#PortlandProtests #PortlandOregon #PortlandStrong #BlackLivesMatter #acab #PoliceBrutality #protest2020

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

A pretty good-sized crowd at this point. Barbeque going, free pizza and burritos for all. People dancing to the R&B music playing at the gazebo

The speaking portion is about to start

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

An activist named Destiny (sp?) is giving an absolutely beautiful speech. The sanctity of black lives. The long history of struggle. The inherent worth of all black lives, whether prominent like John Lewis' or simple like her father's

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

An activist named Z steps up to the mic

She says she dislikes the way the press privileges white people within this movement. How white people keep being front and center

She decries performative activism, says some people aren't here for the right reasons

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

She is angry that we aren't angry all the time. That people aren't coming out anymore. That people don't care like they should

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Here's some editorializing; take it for what it's worth

It is day 73

No one can be angry for 73 days straight

This is a marathon

The soul must laugh. And the body requires pizza.

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

The speaker talks about how these cops don't stop violence. How they don't do any of the things people say we need them for

"Maybe we need counselors not cops. Maybe we need bozing gyms to teach kids discipline and self control. Gyms are cheaper than jails"

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

He talks about the importance of transformation

"People ask when these protests are going to stop. I say: when we have change that we can feel in our black bodies"

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

This is huge. I know a lot of people can't come to these protests. But there's fundraising and letter-writing and education and organizing and so, so much more

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

People forming up to march. Very good crowd: north of 200

It's hard not to be nervous after last night's pipe bomb attack. I keep reminding myself that every time I worry like this on a specific day, things go all right

I hope that holds

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

"This isn't just for us! Aren't you tired of this shit?! After you tired of being lied to? That's why we've go to vote! For Teressa Raiford!"

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Two shield bearers are holding hands as we march. I just thought you should know

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

The protesters with the megaphone yells at people to "get the fuck out of their houses"

Then he says no one tells him what to do

Then he says people who are black should be outside right now

He is white

Big yikes

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

I see the Heavenly Donuts sign ahead: a vision which does not exactly conjure visions of paradise at this point

The building that stands opposite the shop–the PPA–is certainly not God's handiwork

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

No visible line of cops tonight for the first time in a long time. Trying something new? Or forming up down the street?

Time will tell

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Protesters doing some graffitis on the precinct building. Banging on the boards

PPA building is not on fire pic.twitter.com/SiBqOEXJyo

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Some liberated fence makes its way to the perimeter of the protest

There is a fire. Keen observers will note that it is a dumpster fire in the middle of the street and not the PPA building, which remains not on fire pic.twitter.com/0ZNiqNdYk2

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

A good sign pic.twitter.com/z0xYU0yf4l

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

A keen-eyed protester has spotted a surveillance drone and is shining a truly impressive laser at it. His accuracy and skill is astounding. Surely this some kind of super-soldier

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Ok fine it is a good dumpster fire, you can have a picture of it, as a treat pic.twitter.com/IUxEk77RFG

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

LRAD declares an unlawful assembly without explanation

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Riot declares. Protest driven several blocks pic.twitter.com/zEoWRrR4fv

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Barricade pic.twitter.com/kIoV96QVuZ

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Restoring thread integrity:https://t.co/FyZEW4fMzn

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Someone is playing I Will Survive. God bless

Protesters trying to get the crowd together and tight. The park makes this difficult. We're more used to streets

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

SO MANY REINFORCEMENTS just showed up pic.twitter.com/lBSIWMY0Ed

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Police fire a large amount of what I think was smoke, then leave. My god there were a lot of them

Crowd regrouping. Less attrition than I thought. They are water. They are flowing back

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Maybe 1/4 of the protest starts to move out. The rest scream at them to come back. They don't seem to be listening

Weekend problems, man. Larger numbers, less cohesion

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Op and the person on the mic is talking about how they've been here since day 1

Man, there were about a thousand people out here on Day 1, just ask them

I wasn't. I was out on Day 2. Day 1 was maybe 30 people. Day 2 was maybe 100

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

A resident is yelling at the protest. The protest is yelling at the resident

"Slow down in the front!!"

Not the most organized night we've ever had

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Oh cool all press and legal observers have been allowed to leave

Very legal

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

They decided not to kettle us. Let us know they could and then let us pass

Same old shit with the press. Keeping us to the sidewalk, keeping us behind them. They have learned to brutalize with impunity. I have to get better

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Notice there's no arrest here. A brutal slam. Catch and release

The idea is to hurt people extralegally#PortlandProtests #PortlandOregon #PortlandStrong #BlackLivesMatter #acab #PoliceBrutality #protest2020 pic.twitter.com/9kcjmzSxCg

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

More of that shoving shit#PortlandProtests #PortlandOregon #PortlandStrong #BlackLivesMatter #acab #PoliceBrutality #protest2020 pic.twitter.com/DTUCjOsPpy

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

I'm gonna figure out tweet threads someday, hand to God

Not tonight clearlyhttps://t.co/5ZfJq7zeka

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

The group pauses. Figures out where everyone else is. Gets ready to try and rejoin them

"If they come through, say 'hands up don't shoot!' "

I'm not as optimistic but we'll see

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Someone has seen someone else that tried to fight them a different time. Allegations of an attempted stabbing

She really wants to have it out right now

"____! This is not the time"

Chants of "no justice, no peace!" keep the peace, ironically

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

And we've been met by the cops at Denver and Winchell

Targeted arrests threatened very specifically over the LRAD. Press reminded that we aren't allowed to be here because the First Amendment is a relic of a more civilized time

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

"you, bar security! No press pass. Time to go"

" I'm not bar security anymore, I'm an armed security guard"

"no one cares. Get out of here!"

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Then they grabbed her ziptied wrists and hauled her up. I can't imagine this didn't hurt her shoulders

They said she was grabbing them. "I'm not" she said

Then they turned out the lights

Then I turned on my light

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Part 1 uphttps://t.co/Y3rxHXJSyx

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Part 2 is uphttps://t.co/VCuBVxyr40

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Final part is up. Sound on for all of thesehttps://t.co/paaAJYFaTw

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020

Well that was certainly an evening. Home safe. Gonna have a shower beer and edit video till 7AM

Speaking of beer, absolutely no pressure but if you found this helpful and wanted to buy me one, I'd never say no

Cashapp/Venmo: $Misanthrophile

PayPal: askmisanthrophile@gmail.com

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 9, 2020