Hello, coming at you from Portland, OR as I walk towards Elizabeth Caruthers park for tonight’s ICE protest
Before I even arrive, DJ LRAD deafens me with warnings about obeying traffic laws
I arrive to find maybe 30 protesters very much not in the street, but ready to march
National Lawyer’s Guild has a table set up with protest essentials, which is good because DJ LRAD just painfully reminded me that I don’t have earplugs
As people trickle into the park, a group of activists attempt to light a cigarette with a taser for a photo op
The sound puts a lot of people on edge: many have attended actions where that sound signals Bad Things
They have been asked to stop repeatedly but aren’t
Neat
Maybe 100 people here. Just chilling in the park
DJ LRAD at it again for some reason. Nothing is happening, but they’re talking about not blocking the road again, etc
They’re real hungry still. They were hungry at rev hall earlier and they’re hungry now
(if you missed the earlier Rev Hall action, here’s a whole post about how that went)
The march gets underway. About 150 people in bloc move down the street towards the ICE building
As though we crossed into a cartoon, the march narrowly avoids two guys moving a giant TV across the street. That’s not relevant to the march but you need to know it anyway
Chant: “FUCK JOE BIDEN!!”
Your reminder that, regardless of what Fox would have you believe, the left does NOT approve of our new president
With shouts of “Chinga la Migra!” and “Abolish ICE,” the protest arrives at the boarded-up ICE building
No cops or feds visible so far, but the Federal Protective Service DJ LRAD immediately warns against trespassing on federal property
A Crime has taken place
(By which I mean the separation of families at the border, not graffiti, obviously)
“this is a test of–“
-DJ LRAD, Federal Protective Service edition
Real Dad PPB DJ LRAD warns of impact munitions and such from down the street
Someone sets a bag of mild mayhem down nearby: spray paint and some eggs. To my knowledge these things have never killed anyone
Nothing thrown yet
Feds warn against blocking the driveway and tell press not to trespass on federal property
Oh neat, unlawful assembly declared
Absolutely no provocation for this
Another warning that press will be arrested if they trespass
It is my objective journalistic opinion that standing around waiting to get fucked up may not be the best way to expend limited resources
Aah, it is the graffiti that has inspired this unlawful assembly declaration. Go off I guess
Chant: “Every city, every town! Burn the precinct to the ground”
Chant: “Fuck Joe Biden!”
Feds advance from behind the ICE gate, then retreat. Protesters move back nervously
Videos uploading slowly. Summary: the feds have filled the street with smoke and/or gas, can’t tell through my gas mask. They have fired a shit ton of munitions
Protest retreated down the street, is now returning
Reports of PPB staging North
Here we go:
More war from Portland, Oregon
This is in response to graffiti. Yes, really
Lots of back and forth, lots of hot-burning munitions. Tear gas and probably HC smoke
Protest retreats backwards and runs into feds with the tear gas lead blower. No gas blown yet
It’s not a true kettle, but we’re cut off from the park AND from ICE
Videos still uploading at the speed of sand but meanwhile I think we might be kettled. Cops coming down from every intersection. Small lines right now but backup is driving around
Ok I truly do not understand what is happening right now
Copa press down the street in the direction of ICE…while protesters stand on the sidewalk and watch them
Shit got real bad. Protesters followed feds to ICE, then feds lined up and lit everyone the fuck up. I got hit but thick thighs save lives, I’m fine
Then they pushed back up the street
A protester got hit, went down and screamed. I can’t and won’t get close enough to find out what happened, medics are on it. It looks serious
Feds push protesters past the injured person, medics seem to still be working on them
Crowd is furious
Feds surge forward and make arrests. There will be a ton of video after I get to a place where internet doesn’t struggle to post text
This is bad
Feds retreat and fill the streets with gas. Shield wall presses forward
Reports in the comments say the injured protester had a seizure
Cops are fucking everywhere. Bike cops head towards ICE building
Protesters dry heaving and coughing, even those with respirators
Video once again fails to upload
Police make targeted arrests. Protest has fallen apart completely into small scattered groups
Hard to find a good way to describe the situation, both because it’s confusing and because my brain is kinda locking up while it represses all emotion
This was a bad one, folks. Gassed to absolute fuck, countless rounds shot, protesters driven through the street, targeted arrests. Small groups in side streets inspect wounds and regain their nerve
Maybe 50 protesters making their way back to ICE
This feels masochistic. The returning group is strung out over 3 blocks. Standing. Some sitting. Shields resting against legs. Waiting for….whatever. More pain I guess
My leg hurts, we’ll see how bad it is when I get home I guess
Tried to post a video like 20 minutes ago but: as soon as I tweeted that we seem to just be standing around waiting for more pain, the pain arrived in the form of targeted arrests
Now we’re standing around watching the cops stand around
I may leave soon
Someone whomst might be a little tipsy us challenging police officer John Oliphant to a fight–“me and you, one on one!!”
I’d buy tickets to that but I don’t think it’s gonna happen
The night goes on but I am out and heading home
I’m gonna pour myself a tall glass of whiskey, inspect my leg, and start uploading hella video on a video thread (which I’ll link to in this thread as soon as it goes up)
Solidarity with everyone still out there ✊🖤
Epilogue: they got me pretty good
SEE VIDEOS OF INCIDENT HERE
Originally tweeted by Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) on January 21, 2021.
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