October 6th: Feds Gas the Hell Out of 40 Protesters

Originally tweeted by Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile) (@1misanthrophile) on October 6, 2020.

Hi there, coming at you from Elizabeth Caruthers Park near the ICE building, where a group of maybe 40 protesters have gathered for tonight’s action so far

Let's see what happens

#BlackLivesMatter #AbolishICE #PoliceBrutality #PortlandProtest #pdxprotest

The protesters discuss plans for the evening. Contingencies. The conversation is matter-of-fact about the fed violence likely this evening. People bouncing ideas off each other. Horizontal decision making

We've arrived at ICE. Immediately the feds emerge and stand behind the gate

Hard to capture but they all have red and green lights on their helmets and it's very cyberpunk

The feds warm not to tamper with the ICE building, etc. The usual

Protesters stand and taunt the feds. No property damage

…..aaaaaaand they've declared an unlawful assembly

There's literally no reason for this to be an unlawful assembly but to be fair, there doesn't have to be a reason in an authoritarian state

Feds tell everyone they have 2 minutes to vacate the area

There aren't enough people here for this shit

An unlawful assembly, apparently

A good sign while we wait to get fucked up

Trumpet Guy teams up with a guitar dude to sing an improvised ditty about soup for his family

He then reads some words from Willem van Spronsen, the man who attacked the Tacoma ICE facility

The crowd is silent. I think everyone's pretty nervous right now

Still waiting. 2 minutes was a weird bluff I guess.

Crowd standing ready. Umbrella wall stands strong. @SoundBlocPDX plays a song in Italian I don't know (not Bella Ciao)

The State of the Unlawful Assembly is Boring

Feds have moved to either side of the closed gates. Green lights still flash eerily from their helmets in a way my camera just can't capture

Protesting in Portland: periods of extreme boredom punctuated by bursts of adrenaline

Things going on much as before. Shield wall chants: Fuck ICE and Chinga la Migra

Shield wall moves up. Traditionally this has not been a great tactic, since the feds like to circle from the road to the West before opening the gates

Still can't fucking handle that WAP is a protest anthem now

First time I heard that song I hated it from the depths of my soul. Not sure when or how that transformed into unironic love but damn the clubs need to open up again

And in the middle of that, someone shouts that roof cop shot a protester in the knee. It's unclear whether it was a shot or a fall. I didn't hear a shot

Regardless, suddenly the music is off and everyone is screaming at the gate

Someone throws a toy smoke bomb onto the roof

The smoke bomb smoulders

Once again the feds tell us we have 2 minutes to leave the area. I can't hear the rest of the message over the protest urging the officer to go fuck himself

Movement behind the gate

Y'all they do NOT like smoke bombs

The feds retaliate for the toy smoke bomb with a truly unbelievable amount of gas

So goddamn much, SO much

I did not see any arrests

Strange clouds. The line advances a block. The protesters, overwhelmed by this amount of gas, retreat several

Current situation: feds going back inside the ICE facility. Footage incoming

The feds doing their favorite truck of popping smoke before leaving

Also gas though

I guess if you have the toys you wanna use the toys

The fed line parts to let PPB through

Your reminder that they aren't supposed to coordinate

Notice how slowly and carefully they retreat. As though they expect an ambush from an insurgent army

They believe their own bullshit. They're terrified, all the time. It's part of faacism

Taste the rainbow

(We definitely did)

Present situation: Feds back inside. Reports of PPB staging down the road. Munitions collectors collecting and documenting munitions

Protest has retreated. I'm off to find them

I've returned to the ICE building, where protesters were dancing to I Will Survive until I got here at which point the riot cops emerged so here we go again

Here they come

I recommend sound on

Current situation:

Umbrella wall in the street

PPB circling, possible kettle

While this standoff continues I need you to know that a queen in a silver sequins tube dress and silver stiletto heels has joined the protest is standing in front of the police

I can only dream of this level of protest perfection

On one hand we live in an increasingly authoritarian police state and our rights are actively being infringed as I type this but on the other hand the green cyberpunk LEDs are very much my style

You win some, you lose some

Ooh an even better green light pic

(It's a standoff, I have to stay sane somehow)

The riot cops take the street

Standoff continues

Do they feel silly, with all that armor and weaponry, standing off against 40 protesters blasting the Imperial March?

I would feel silly

OMG they're playing "closer" by NIN this needs to become a THING

I L I V E

Personal achievement unlocked: danced to Closer in a flak vest and gas mask in front of riot cops

This is the best timeline, I don't make the rules

It's also the worst

PPB charges from behind and makes several targeted arrests

Here's one of them

Two protesters sit in the street and are arrested immediately

THESE MOTHERFUCKERS HAVE SEIZED @SoundBlocPDX's EQUIPMENT

This is the worst remake of Footloose ever

(Don't let my jokes fool you I'm so fucking mad right now)

A woman who lives here confronts the PPB about the noise and gas while she's trying to sleep

"Talk to the feds. We aren't allowed to use tear gas"

PPB hanging out in a line, verbally sniping back and forth with protesters. It's a weird scene

Finally they leave so I can stop listening to their nonsense dialogues with protesters

I'm not really a Dr Who fan but I vaguely remember an episode with a kid in a gas mask who lost his mom but the gas mask was part of his face?

Anyway, this gas mask and I are one now

Thank you again @1StephenSwann

A resident does not approve of the protests

Just had an awesome conversation with @JuniperLSimonis, who told me more about the green smoke from tonight

Apparently that shit is full of heavy metals. So that’s fun for everyone who breathed it

Back at ICE, maybe 10 protesters are having an argument with the owners of the business across the street from ICE, who came out with a baseball bat

That argument is still ongoing but it seems like the threat of violence has passed

Omg I was literally walking away, thinking about shower beer and composing my final tweet when the feds threatened to arrest the like 10 people left if they don't get out of the way of the entrance so they can leave

They don't look like they're gonna move

Feds moving behind the gate. Four young protesters lying in the driveway

They're aware they're about to get arrested

"I hope they know what they're getting into," another protester says softly

The young protesters get brutally arrested. It's hard to watch

Protesters berate the cops as they complete their arrest

DHS goes home

Or to a hotel

Or whatever

Currently, feds are standing in the gate while protesters continue to let them know how the fuck they feel

Feds get on their microphone and order protesters to get off federal property or be arrested

The gates close. Finally

And the protesters seem ready to leave also

Which is good because guess what?

I'm leaving also

Solidarity to the 5 people still out there, please get some sleep!

Epilogue: How to do a chud purge

1. Tweet a video of brutality and say "this is hard to watch"
2. Chuds are contractually obligated to respond that they found the video easy and enjoyable to watch
3. Block block block block block block block

Epilogue 2: Protests bring me closer to God

(thanks @MrOlmos for capturing this very silly moment)