August 9th: Back at the PPA; Demetria Hester Arrested

Hi there, arriving very late to Kenton Park, where a protest had just begun their march to the strains of "Bella Ciao"

Let's see what tonight brings#PortlandProtests #PortlandOregon #PortlandStrong #BlackLivesMatter #acab #PoliceBrutality #protest2020

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

The crowd chants Michael Brown's name. 6 years ago, police shot the unarmed Brown to death in Ferguson and America saw the first sparks of this uprising

Everyone who thinks working entirely within the system is the answer should sit with that number.

Six years. What's changed?

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

And DJ LRAD has entered the scene. Inaudible over the chanting and booing

Hijinks have occured at this building on previous nights, and I've told you about them

Tonight? Nothing but chanting so far

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

The LRAD seems to be telling people not to commit crimes or else

Some dumpsters in the road

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

One of the dumpsters is extremely on fire again

Riot cops spotted on Elmore. Unclear what direction they're coming from but they're here and they're coming pic.twitter.com/1fRZp9Rv6a

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

Bullrushed several blocks. Riot declared. Words have no meaning

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

The common trashfire–official animal of 2020–spotted in Kenton Park https://t.co/plUSTc5ZNW pic.twitter.com/ewmYZQQowl

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

The police forcibly prevent me from filming an arrest#DefendPDX #portlandprotests #pdxprotest #blacklivesmatter #police #acab #trumpsgestapo #momsarehere #portlandprotest pic.twitter.com/skRXWSk4qa

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

The group has been severely scattered. It was never big enough for this

And that's the real reason it's been declared a riot: not because the crowd poses a danger, but because it doesn't. Because it's easy to bully

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

Official police action. I assume parking is now fine wherever this sign came from pic.twitter.com/H3Q0TQ7lXV

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

Just spoke to some residents who came out to see what was going on. We explained.

They were flabbergasted about the barricade destruction. "Those have been up for weeks for businesses to operate outside. Did they forget about COVID?!"

"Well, they don't wear masks, so probably"

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

20 or 30 protesters have decided to resume chanting "black lives matter" next to the PPA: an activity which the LRAD immediately reminds everyone constitutes a riot

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

Police strike suddenly and with great speed. Many arrests

They chase protesters down a side street, then chase. Then back up again. A protester is led away in zip cuffs. "You can't expect me to follow conflicting orders!" he exclaims

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

Heavenly Donuts is now broadcasting an extremely good and informatively speech about Oregon's racist history and how that history mirrors the white supremacy of America as a whole

This is incredible

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

Receiving word that an elderly resident of the Kenton neighborhood was shot in the leg with a paintball round while she tried to restore the legal, official neighborhood barriers that the cops tore down

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

The police leave. A truly astounding number of cop cars and riot vans head out. Everyone here should be deeply honored at how much of a threat they consider you

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

The state of the PPA pic.twitter.com/yuIVoDOroQ

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

@PDocumentarians captured footage of that cop physically preventing me from filming that arrest. It's at about the 20-second mark

I'm the dork in the yellow vesthttps://t.co/AmZz2RWXWm

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

I am back at my car and headed home. The crowd has shrunk to the point that saving strength for another day seems sound

Solidarity to everyone still out here

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020

That speech I mentioned, the one broadcast from Heavenly Donuts? It's been located:https://t.co/6kUTVcSIsf

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 10, 2020