Summary
This 4th of July was celebrated with a number of community marches and protests, from downtown Portland to Maywood Park and Lake Oswego. In the evening, protesters gathered outside the Justice Center, some of them setting off fireworks in the parks and on the street. Around 10:40 PM, police began shooting tear gas and other munitions from the Federal Courthouse. At 11:09 PM they declared the gathering to be a riot and used tear gas, rubber bullets, and other munitions to clear people away from the area. This push continued north and west through downtown, continuing to tear gas crowds several blocks from the Justice Center area. Arrests and tear gas use continued for several hours, as groups of protesters marched and regrouped in Chapman and Lownsdale parks.
Scheduled Events
Anti-Independence Day March – noon at the PSU Native American Student & Community Center
BLM to Maywood Park – A Youth-led BLM Solidarity March – 2 PM
Youth BLM march in Lake Oswego – 3 PM
Bars Up Guns Down ride – 6 PM
Timeline
Starting off downtown with the indigenous solidarity march:
“I am here to remind people… you are standing here today on the dead backs of women, men, nonbinary people as children… this genocide is not over, and if you do not see what is happening it is because you choose not to.”
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) July 4, 2020
The Maywood Park youth march begins with some words from Dr. LeRoy Haynes of the Albina Ministerial Alliance:
Downtown:
At the BLM march in Lake Oswego:
From the “Bars Up Guns Down” ride, which is just kicking off:
A rally in NW Portland:
Another speaker advocating for the rights of those with Temporary Protected Status. pic.twitter.com/3JFZjxjR7Y
— Danny Peterson (@DannyJPeterson) July 5, 2020
Checking in at the Federal Courthouse:
Truly, is anything more America than a bunch of elementary-aged kids setting off fireworks on the steps of a federal courthouse?
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) July 5, 2020
We received word that Summer Taylor, one of the victims of a car attack at a protest in Seattle this week, has passed away.
LRAD is the new aesthetic?
Welp, we officially have an LRAD dance remix. Complete with laser light show pic.twitter.com/4DpALPKu1g
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) July 5, 2020
And the Police have arrived. They are asking people to stop shooting the justice center. Their words bring the crowd. One person behind me says, “They shouldn’t have said anything look what happens when they talk.” pic.twitter.com/L2wSpStwqc
— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@IwriteOK) July 5, 2020
Tear gas and pepper balls are being fired from a window in the Federal Courthouse:
This also might have been shot by federal officers, but there is truly no way to tell.
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) July 5, 2020
So the LRAD moved on, then some folks in camo came out and shot at the crowd with some teargas, then the crowd came right back and kept shooting fireworks at the federal courthouse. Really mostly at, and around, the courthouse at this point.
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) July 5, 2020
At 11:09 PM a riot was declared by PPB:
Riot declared
— Donovan “It was the blurst of times” Farley ?? (@DonovanFarley) July 5, 2020
PPB has declares a riot. Crowd told to move West. Warn of potential tear gas (after having already deployed it twice).
— Lindsey Smith (she/her) (@LindseyPSmith7) July 5, 2020
Area PPB has declared closed: Broadway to 1st and Columbia to… somewhere. Really hard to decipher.
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) July 5, 2020
PPB shoot rubber bullets at close range at a car stuck on 4th. pic.twitter.com/mngYELawjE
— Lindsey Smith (she/her) (@LindseyPSmith7) July 5, 2020
Police and federal officers pushing people west. #Portlandprotest #blacklivesmatter #PDXprotests #pdx #portlandoregon #blm #acab #4thofJuly #portland #Fireworks #teargas pic.twitter.com/aDcB2C5YV2
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) July 5, 2020
PPB threw tear gas at SW Broadway and Salmon with no provocation. Moving to them.
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) July 5, 2020
Shaky vid, but ends with a violent arrest. pic.twitter.com/0huwlvqrCv
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) July 5, 2020
Lots of tear gas thrown at large crowd just south of Pioneer Courthouse Square. I just looked up and we were surrounded by tear gas.
— Lindsey Smith (she/her) (@LindseyPSmith7) July 5, 2020
Police have slashed the tires of the snack van and began to throw teargas into the crowd. #Portlandprotest #blacklivesmatter #PDXprotests #pdx #portlandoregon #blm #acab #4thofJuly #portland #Fireworks #teargas pic.twitter.com/3UpIDwagBS
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) July 5, 2020
Crowd marching down both sides of Burnside pic.twitter.com/aHBSVFaSqy
— Donovan “It was the blurst of times” Farley ?? (@DonovanFarley) July 5, 2020
This is the scene at the federal courthouse. pic.twitter.com/9rLKqxvFPo
— Lindsey Smith (she/her) (@LindseyPSmith7) July 5, 2020
Oof the air is still pretty spicy down here at Lownsdale Square.
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) July 5, 2020
(2/2) The teargas hit the pavement on either side of us, emitting from both the east side of the block and the west side. It was done in such a way where the people within that block had no choice but to move through a cloud of teargas to move west, per polices’ orders.
— Danny Peterson (@DannyJPeterson) July 5, 2020
Protestors have lit a fire with wood paneling pic.twitter.com/PAHMmhu4z6
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) July 5, 2020
Protesters lighting big fireworks in front of the Federal Courthouse doors again.
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) July 5, 2020
In response: Tear gas from doors. pic.twitter.com/MXHJ2XRRY2
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) July 5, 2020
Feds shoot canisters if tear gas indiscriminately into the park. Wow. pic.twitter.com/4ZH2GLYrjM
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) July 5, 2020
Federal police stand at the corner of the park. pic.twitter.com/olAySblmcC
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) July 5, 2020
Smaller groups of protesters stayed out for several hours, while the police continued to use munitions and make sporadic arrests.
Went back to the food carts near SW Harvey Milk, verified the food carts were tear gassed.
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) July 5, 2020
One of the officers yelling at media to leave. They also said to go record on a further away street corner. pic.twitter.com/Lm44uxlJBI
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) July 5, 2020
Media
Present
- Alex Zielinski (Portland Mercury)
- Danny Peterson (KOIN)
- Donovan Farley – CashApp: $DonovanFarley1 / PayPal: DonovanFarley / Venmo: Donovan-Farley
- Garrison Davis – CashApp $hungrybowtie / paypal.me/garrisondavispdx
- Mac Smiff – CashApp: $MacSmiff
- Nick Lee – CashApp: $economybreakfast / PayPal: economybreakfast@gmail.com
- Portland Independent Documentarians – CashApp: $portlandindepend / PayPal: https://paypal.me/portlandindepend
- Robert Evans
- Sergio Olmos
- 45th Parallel Absurdist Brigade – CashApp: $45thabsurdist / Venmo: the45thabsurdist
Articles
FOX News
Mark Morgan on border patrol deployed to Portland amid unrest
KOIN
Area demonstrations aim to counter July 4th celebrations
The Oregonian
Twice on July Fourth, police declare riot in downtown Portland
Portland Mercury
Tear Gas Clouds Fourth of July Demonstrations in Portland
Willamette Week
An Independence Day Weekend of Bitter Confrontations Displayed Oregon in Turmoil
Police
Agencies present
- PPB
- MSCO
- US Marshals https://twitter.com/AlexMilanTracy/status/1279766540569595904
- DHS/CBP https://twitter.com/DHS_Wolf/status/1279839012929310720
Munitions used
- Pepper balls
- Tear gas
- Rubber/foam bullets
- Smoke https://twitter.com/defendpdx/status/1279673231834640384
Number of arrests
15 named by PPB, 8 for Federal Protective Service 1 Federal
Charges
- Disorderly Conduct II
- Reckless Endangerment
- Interference with a Peace Officer
- Harassment
- Unlawful Direct of Light from a Laser Pointer
- Riot
- Resist Arrest
- Attempted Assault of a Peace Officer
- Escape III