November 16, 2024

Laura Jedeed

Freelance Journalist

September 26th: Delta Park Proud Boy Rally Fizzles

Originally tweeted by Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile) (@1misanthrophile) on September 26, 2020.

Hi there, coming at you near Delta Park, where oh boy there are sure a lot of cops and chuds everywhere

Hoping for a real boring thread today

Let's see what happens

#PortlandProtests #ProudBoys #BlackLivesMatter #PortlandRiots

I'm running with @45thabsurdist, @hungrybowtie, and @IwriteOK today. Currently getting a feel for the situation

We're seeing a ton of cops as we go in. Here's cops on riot vans at Interstate and Schmeer, near the Vanport event

Cops are manning the checkpoints to Delta Park, which are open. Reports of the Proud Boys operating an armed checkpoint inside

Is this legal? No! It is not!

Police all around the perimeter also

Outside Delta Park

We're seeing people scattered throughout the park. A look through binoculars shows a few men with rifles staged on the bleachers

It's a far cry from the 10,000 chuds promised–as we suspected it would be

A group of Proud Boys marches in, probably from the Wal-Mart parking lot

A large group of chuds gather within the park

http://Lovetalks.baby has made and posted a bunch of signs along the concrete barricades. They set up in various areas around town to feed and help the houseless community

They often get kicked out of parks because they don't have a permit. "If they can be here, so can we"

A video of LoveTalks' setup

A better view of the Proud Boys. Maybe 300 there based on this angle

Buncha cops hanging out at the perimeter

I can't get a decent shot of it–too far away–but we're seeing a few dudes in camo operating a checkpoint between the Wal-Mart parking lot and the park proper

They are carrying a variety of weapons including an AR-15, a bolt-action rifle, and a shotgun

My group asks a cop whether they've checked for a valid concealed carry permit for the dudes carrying long guns

They explain that Portland law states you must have a CH permit to open carry loaded weapons within city limits

They explain that yes, we're within city limits

The officer says he'll let the command center know about the checkpoint

I'm not holding my breath

It feels weird not to walk in there and do what I usually do: walk through, listen to speeches, take pictures

Can't, though

That Eugene Antifa leak? These free speech advocates had a thing or two to say about me

I don't fancy rolling the dice without a much better disguise

American Wolf just showed up

Two medics and a counterprotester approach the crowd

The Proud Boys are not fans: chants of "Fuck Antifa"

Robert West, convicted sex offender and one-time fixture at Patriot Prayer events, expelled from the protest

I didn't get the threat on audio but luckily @hungrybowtie did

Noted free speech activist violently drive @jovannithe1st and @cdsupriyadi out of the gathering

Another journalist attacked, shoved by these guardians of American liberty

Based Spartan spotted

A fine upstanding Patriot does not approve of press

Richard does not approve of them

We have just arrived at Peninsular Park, where a crowd approximately 3 times the size of the Proud Boy rally have gathered to attack and dethrone God*

*Not confirmed

Huge crowd! Easily 1000. Speeches from the gazebo. Everyone wearing masks

This feels real good

THERE US A LLAMA HERE

The llama's name is Cesar and this is so wholesome I can't handle it

Am absolutely superb sign

BREAKING: I can confirm that the llama is very soft and very good

(Thank you @666hotdogs666 for the pic!!!)

We're heading to Irving Park. A couple blocks away from Peninsular, two cop cars are parked. Cops relaxing next to the vehicles

It's a lot more restraint than I'm accustomed to

We're at Irving Park, where a diffuse crowd of perhaps 100 people are listening to a speech

The car caravan is enroute but not yet here

The speaker is talking about how sticking your middle finger up at cops is bad and an embrace of violence. Because some cops are OK

The Basic Income March is here today with this striking display of how houselessness effects people of color

More info on the Basic Income March

The Black Lives Matter car caravan has arrived

https://twitter.com/shanedkavanaugh/status/1309984806197846016?s=19

You may have gathered this from my radio silence but I've headed out

Today went so much better than I expected and I am very happy with how boring this thread turned out to be

Here's hoping it stays that way through the night

Solidarity with everyone still out here