August 14th: Cops Preemptively Block Protesters

Oh boy, I'm paying a price for my chronic lateness. Coming at you as I sprint towards Interstate and Ainsworth, where riot cops have decided to intercept tonight's march

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

Big crowd tonight. A strong shield wall. Tons of other journos out tonight! Fellow @defendpdx journos @R3volutionDaddy and @bogwitchenergy are here, along with:@hungrybowtie
@JFlorencePDX
@666hotdogs666 @PhrenologyPhun @Cascadianphotog@PDocumentarians
@nogumbofornazis

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

A group of riot cops blocks traffic at Killongsworth and Montana. No explanation. Just standing there pic.twitter.com/IPox1tx0H8

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

New chant: "Slow it down! Pass it up!"

Useful and effective

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

Killingsworth. Jesus autocorrect wtf

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

Unlawful assembly declared. Claims of paintballs and other objects thrown at police

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

Standoff. Shield wall on Mississippi just North of Killingsworth

A few protesters are sitting in the intersection, facing the cops

Riot cops coming down Mississippi from the South

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

Cops drive the protest to Peninsula Park. Lot of violence, not seeing a lot of arrests. They shoved @hungrybowtie HARD

Currently loaded up on their riot vans, driving back and forth. I have footage but it's gonna take a second

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

Cops go out of their way to shove someone on the sidewalk#PortlandRiots #PortlandProtest #PDXprotests #pdxprotest #BlackLivesMatter #PortlandStrong #Police #ACAB pic.twitter.com/fuG1l8d7VO

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

They wait for the dark residential streets to ready go off#PortlandRiots #PortlandProtest #PDXprotests #pdxprotest #BlackLivesMatter #PortlandStrong #Police #ACAB pic.twitter.com/aEUKECUiew

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

From the first bullrush:
Cops throw smoke. Protester throws firework#PortlandRiots #PortlandProtest #PDXprotests #pdxprotest #BlackLivesMatter #PortlandStrong #Police #ACAB pic.twitter.com/PVAbz5AArf

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

Y'all there are LOT of them. Several riot vans, backed up half a block

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

Protest attempts to cross Lombard on Albina but stop for reasons that remain unclear for me

I witness the birth of a dumpster fire. The miracle of life. The efficiency at which protesters light garbage on fire is beyond my understanding pic.twitter.com/fXsnK09NtZ

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

The LRAD sings its old song. Play it again, Sam

Did you know they never actually say that line in Casablanca?

Anyway, I think we're about to get bullrushes again

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

The thing is, even though "Play it again, Sam" isn't even in Casablanca it's still the most famous quote

A lot like how the Bill of Rights is one of the most famous things about America

Our brains play tricks on us

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

Cops find us and push us for a really long time. I got separated from the group but I did get told by the Boys in Blue that filming from my mom's basement isn't a real job

Thanks boys, very professional

Anyway my update is that I'm lost

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

A friendly exchange

There is a lie in here. My wrist was not broken. "Severe contusion" got lost between my dumb brain and my out-of-breath lungs. I'm sorry

Also, to be clear, I'm not the one throwing shit in this video pic.twitter.com/zdAMQwZT26

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

While we're walking, let's talk about tonight's new tactic

They met the march in the road and said nothing. A couple times

They waited for something to be thrown, then declared an unlawful assembly

But if no one had thrown anything they would, presumably, have kept blocking

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

I confess I feel a sort of exhaustion set in as I see the lights on the bridge beyond Lombard and Mississippi

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

A semi in the cop line?

Probably just caught in the crosfire…right? pic.twitter.com/CmbGGFIEi9

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

The cops inform the protest Lombard is open to traffic, as though they aren't the ones blocking the traffic

Now they're marching down the road again

I hope they're as tired as I am, I'm not sure I have another bull rush in me. Gotta do more cardio

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

Protest spread out on the sidewalk for about a block. Cops still blocking traffic and telling the protest not to block traffic

Billowing smoke from the dumpster at the corner

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

A bus silently waits for the police to get out of the street

After about 2 minutes, they get on their vans and leave

Protest starts to regroup

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

LRAD says the LRAD thing

He sounds exhausted

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

Three cops have walked to the middle of the bridge. Just standing there. Cut off from the line. I have no idea what's going on here. Are they trying to goad the crowd into attacking? pic.twitter.com/ymsQyejjug

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

A woman pulls up in an SUV. She's trying to get home

Decides to try to talk to the cops. They tell her she can pass in "a few minutes"

The cops told me that Lombard is open to traffic but I guess not

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

The rush begins#PortlandRiots #PortlandProtest #PDXprotests #pdxprotest #BlackLivesMatter #PortlandStrong #Police #ACAB pic.twitter.com/1TGERsE4te

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

A furious driver beside his car as the air leaks out of his tires

He tells us the cops told him to pull over, so he did. Then they puncture two of his tires and ran off

"Who the hell carries around to spare tires? No one. Fuck these guys"

He had a BLM sign in his window

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

The riot van pauses, tells everyone to get off the street, than roars off

Someone throws a bottle

"Nice throw! One of the cops shout

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020

The action continues but I could not. Tragically I have an article due by 10 and an event at 12, so my evening has ended

Check out the list of people at the beginning of this long-ass thread for others still on the ground!

Solidarity with everyone still out here

— Laura Jedeed is Kind of Back I Guess (@LauraJedeed) August 15, 2020