Originally tweeted by Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile) (@1misanthrophile) on October 3, 2020.
Hi friends, coming at you live and late from the MSCO building in Portland, OR, where DJ LRAD is serenading probably 150 protesters with portents and signs of violence
I'm drunk. Let's do this
#PortlandProtest #BlackLivesMatter #PoliceBrutality
I was not planning to come out tonight. But I got out of my poker tournament in 3rd instead of my desired 1st place and then I checked Twitter and saw the cops are on their bullshit. Clearing the parks. Preemptively threatening violence
Why the fuck not. Here I am
Current situation: protesters wielding extremely violent aluminum-coated signs at the bright lights of three cruisers within MSCO property
Chants of "Black Lives Matter"
Waiting, I assume, for the inevitable
I'm hearing that the cops menaced protesters with the LRAD whilst still in Laurelhurst park. Warning that the gathering was unpermitted and against trespassing on MSCO property
At least they didn't arrest the "register to vote" guy this time I guess
It gives me great pleasure to report that Demetria Hester is here <3
(while we're waiting it's important to me that you know that 3rd place was a paying place, I got my buy-in back)
Demetria leading a chant of:
"I said your momma hate you!"
"Yes she do!"
"I said your kids hate you!"
"Yes, they do!"
There was a time when half-filled water bottles would have filled the air right now
And there was a time I would have decried it. Said, you're inviting brutality with that shit
Now we all know there's no need to provoke the cops
They'll come out regardless, if they want to
As I tweeted that last DJ LRAD claimed to observe thrown objects. I think. I sure as shit haven't seen it
I'm not 100% sure about the announcement because the protesters started screaming: "Trump has the 'rona, police gotta go-go!"
A Black activist begins chanting "Stay Together, Stay tight!" and moving the crowd East on Broadway
He appears to be moving the protest past the MSCO
Yep, we're moving East on Burnside at a rather decisive clip
The protest has turned down side streets. I won't go into detail about exactly where but it'll be interesting to see where the hell we're going
Behind the MSCO. Middle fingers raised to the roof cops
The protest arrives back in front of the MSCO and makes a hole for a car that seems very lost. Looks like they were trying to turn around in the MSCO parking lot. Terrible plan
The car got out ok
Receiving unconfirmed reports that tonight's protest is being filmed for a documentary. I can definitely confirm a lot of big cameras very much in the faces of activists this evening
A protester attempts to throw a lit firework (??) at the roof cop
Roof cop responds with a few pepper ball rounds
The fireworks is a dud
DJ LRAD informs us once again that all Penumbra Kelley property is closed to the public, and observes that incendiary devices have been thrown at the cops
Is it incendiary if it doesn't incend?
9 times out of 10 it doesn't matter
It's really interesting to watch how the protest transforms from a mellow gathering listening to speeches into a furious crowd screaming abuse every time DJ LRAD chimes in
Couldn't possibly be a strategy
One of the activists has Breonna Taylor's aunt on Facetime! Protesters and press cluster around the phone
A chant; "Bow! Bow! Bow for Breonna!"
The protest begins to march again
Behind MSCO, saying her name
A moment of silence
A moment of loudness. A demand for justice
Back to the front of the MSCO. The spotlights of the cruisers greet us mutely
One of my favorite things to see out at the protests:
A Black organizer steps to the mic and reminds us of the importance of registering to vote
She tells us about Measure 110. About how taxes from marijuana went directly to the police, rather than the community. This bill would redirect those funds to addiction counseling
"I broke the cycle. My mom was an addict. My dad was an addict." Her voice breaks. "Remember the number! Measure 110!"
Someone has started jamming some prog rock and I'm gonna be real honest I can tolerate maybe 20 minutes of this, maybe, before I bail
Prog rock is the worst genre, this is objectively true. It is also the whitest music. even whiter than industrial which is my chosen poison
Listening to this music, @hungrybowtie and I have decided we need Trilby block
They can "Well, Acthually" the cops while everyone else retreats
They can tell them they're a bunch of collectivists for belonging to an organization
(That's an Objectivist joke you're welcome)
We've gone a bit more bluesy
To everyone who's into prog: we can agree to disagree, I love you all but do not fucking try to make me listen to Jethro Tull or I will break all your shit
We've transitioned to freestyle which is better
Still too much guitar
There are only two instruments: drum and keyboard. And bass. And screaming. 4 instruments
Sorry, this is what you get from me tonight apparently
40 minutes ago I said I could take about 20 minutes of this. I was wrong but not by much
I think this night is over. Crowd thinning
Time for me to go home and finish that bottle of wine
Solidarity with everyone still out here!
EPILOGUE
The protest was winding down
People were going home
All they had to do was nothing
What in the fuck
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