Protests for July 25

Posted on by audrey

Summary

Saturday afternoon was filled with activities and neighborhood marches. A Chalk Bloc event took place downtown, in recognition of an activist who was recently arrested by the feds for drawing a chalk line on a street. Another group worked on building shields to keep protesters safe from impact munitions and grenades. In the evening, over a thousand people gathered at Alberta Park to march downtown. Thousands more congregated outside the Justice Center and Federal Courthouse.

Continuing as with earlier protests this week, protesters gathered as groups like Wall of Moms and Vet Bloc, to create human barriers between the feds and other protesters. A little before 11 PM the feds used tear gas on the crowd. The reason for this is unclear because no warning was given. In addition to the tear gas and pepper balls that are common, the feds also sprayed mace and streams of pepper spray directly at protesters’ faces on the other side of the fence. At 11:20 PM the feds announced the protest was an “unlawful assembly” and began throwing flashbang grenades and canisters of tear gas into the crowd.

Protesters pulled back and regrouped, and the feds retreated back into the courthouse, possibly because someone had thrown paint-filled balloons at them. People began cutting into the fence supports with an angle grinder and were shot at with more munitions. Protesters then attached ropes to the section of fence they were working on and began pulling on it. They succeeded in knocking over a section that was several panels long. At this point the feds threw even more tear gas into the crowd, shooting canisters well up the street into groups that were nowhere near the fence or involved with damaging it.

Around 1:20 AM the Portland Police declared the protest to be a riot and announced that most of downtown was closed. Groups of PPB and feds moved on to the street, pushing protesters away from SW 3rd Ave, with the feds often clearing a street for PPB to drive riot vans through. The PPB then declared a larger area of downtown closed, all the way to I-405 and pushed hundreds of protesters to west of the highway overpass. Other large groups of protesters remained in the area around the Federal Courthouse, singing and heckling the feds. Tear gas was used one or two more times, and smaller groups of protesters remained on the street until daylight.

Several journalists again reported they were injured by impact munitions shot directly at them.

Scheduled Events

Timeline

Some cool activities happening at this afternoon’s skill share!

There’s also a group building shields in Clinton Park:

https://twitter.com/PDXRosieRiddle/status/1287136013895127041

Chalk art happening downtown:

There are neighborhood marches going on all over town (this is SE Foster and 72nd Ave):

It’s a really nice day to hang out in a park before a march. Here’s Alberta Park in NE Portland:

This is a very big group!

Other people have gathered at the Portland Police Association building, also in NE:

We’re splitting out the remaining action into geographic sections, scroll down to see the Justice Center updates.

March from Alberta Park

The cops at the North Precinct look like they’re ready to cause trouble:

The Geneva Convention statement on tear gas has been copied onto a banner:

Hockey sticks and banners up front:

The march is now crossing the Steel Bridge into downtown:

After this point (about 11:15 PM) the protest groups are all downtown and our timeline will be combined.

Downtown/Justice Center

Looks like we’ll also have a drumline tonight:

Some pre-emptive measures on the fence:

Part of the downtown protest split off to march to the Marriot Hotel – we haven’t seen any confirmation of this rumor that they’re housing the feds yet:

An inaudible warning from the feds:

The feds might be a little twitchy tonight.

The feds are using tear gas for no apparent reason:

Also streams of pepper spray. Not cool!

Around 11:20 PM the feds declare an “unlawful assembly”. The combination of tear gas and flashbangs is clearing people away from the fence:

More indications that there was very little ramp-up:

It sounds like someone brought paint balloons:

War crimes continue.

Despite the tear gas, protesters still fill the streets:

The feds have gone inside and the crowd that started calm is now much less so:

A better look at the paint residue:

Nice projections tonight:

Some people are trying to cut through the fence again tonight and there’s also fireworks. Meanwhile, the feds have munitions and an endless supply of tear gas.

Stepping back a bit:

The feds reinforced their fence with some braces to try to prevent last night’s wobbliness, so tonight’s rattling is so far less dramatic:

An attempt is being made to pull down the section that was cut:

The LRAD broadcast a warning to stop messing with the fence:

More gas, why not?

This will probably lead to more tear gas, but so does everything else.

Making progress with the fence removal!

The feds respond by doing… more tear gas! This time they’re shooting it half a block up the street.

At just before 1:20 AM, the Portland Police are declaring a riot and again “closing” a large section of downtown.

Feds? PPB? on the move:

Oh there’s the Portland Police:

The police extended the closed area all the way to I-405. Last time this happened, protesters had to arrange carpools because so many were stranded with no way to get back to their cars or across the river.

Here’s a group on the far side of 405:

Here’s a whole lot of feds standing in the intersection next to the courthouse:

This closure now cuts off access to up to three bridges, and really any way out of downtown unless you’re headed to the West Hills or Pearl District – assuming it can be enforced.

The feds appear to be raiding Riot Ribs:

At 3 AM, despite the announcement that downtown was closed, large groups of people remained in the areas outside the Federal Courthouse.

A look at the remains of the fence:

At 4 AM, another round of tear gas:

Around 5:30 AM the feds withdrew from the street back to the courthouse:

Media

Present

Articles

Clypian

Protestors In Portland Tip Federal Courthouse Fence Saturday; Riot Declared By Police

The Guardian

Portland: protesters bring down fence as confrontation with Trump agents rises

The Intercept

Before Portland, Trump’s Shock Troops Went After Border Activists

Los Angeles Times

Portland protesters showered by tear gas again — and with solidarity from across the U.S.

The New York Times

The New Yorker

Homeland Security Was Destined to Become a Secret Police Force

OPB

The Oregonian

Portland Mercury

Riot Ribs to Transfer Leadership to Don’t Shoot PDX

Reuters

Portland protesters continue clashes with armed federal agents

Street Roots

Pain, arrests and trauma: 4 injured protesters share their stories

Washington Post

Willamette Week

Police

Agencies present

  • Feds: DHS (BORTAC and SRT), US Marshals, Federal Protective Service
  • Portland Police Bureau

Munitions used

  • Smoke
  • Pepper balls
  • Tear gas
  • Pepper spray

Number of arrests

Charges

  • Resist Arrest
  • Attempt Assault of Public Safety Officer
  • Escape III
  • Interfering with a Peace Officer
  • Disorderly Conduct II 
  • Assault IV
  • Attempt Escape III 
  • Federal: assaulting federal officers
  • Federal: operating a drone in restricted airspace