Summary
At about 5:30 am on July 30th individuals living in Lownsdale Square Park, across from the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse, were abruptly told by Portland Police Bureau officers that they had 10 minutes to gather what they could and vacate the area in an early morning sweep. The blue tents that had become a staple at the nightly protests providing food and medical supplies to protestors were taken down and the park was cleared of the belongings of the people that lived there. The park was then taped off and it was announced that Lownsdale Square and its neighboring parks, Chapman Square and Terry Schrunk Plaza, were closed.
At 10 AM, a march demanding justice for Patrick Kimmons led by his mother was held downtown. The group began at the Justice Center, then marched to the place where Patrick was shot by police, and then back to the Justice Center, where they encountered Portland Police officers in one of the closed off parks. At this demonstration, two protesters were arrested by Portland Police. Pro-police “Blue Lives Matter” counter-protesters were also present in the area downtown, but besides some mild verbal interaction between the two groups, there were no altercations.
At night, the demonstration in front of the Justice Center and Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse proceeded as usual, and it was a largely uneventful night. Protesters gathered in front of the Justice Center initially to listen to members of the community speak and then moved over to the federal courthouse. There were only some minor incidents, including small fires set around the area and protesters shaking the fence surrounding the federal courthouse, but none of these prompted a response by law enforcement officers. Law enforcement officers were seen only once throughout the night, around 2:50 AM, when unidentified federal officers (it was difficult to see their uniforms in the dark in the few videos that captured them) stepped out of the courthouse and into the portico between the front of the building and the surrounding fence, looked around, and then went back inside. From here the night ended without any further incident.
Scheduled Events
- Justice for Patrick Kimmons – 10 am
- Daily BLM Demonstration – Nike World Campus – Noon
- Midnight Mass – 11:10 PM
Timeline
At 10 AM a group of protesters rallied at the Justice Center demanding justice for Patrick Kimmons, led by his mother.
A crowd of ~40 people gathered at Portland City Hall this morning for a Justice for Patrick Kimmons march organized by Kimmons’s mother, Letha Winston. (Folks are marching down SW Fourth Avenue alongside the clean-up process happening at Chapman Square.) pic.twitter.com/bD0KQ7cOHV
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) July 30, 2020
Crowd is continuing down SW Fourth Avenue toward the intersection of SW Harvey Milk Street and Fourth Avenue, where 27-year-old Patrick Kimmons was fatally shot by Portland police on Sept. 30, 2018. pic.twitter.com/qJezeD3MML
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) July 30, 2020
Marchers have arrived at the parking lot where Kimmons was killed, and where Winston is fighting for the city to add a permanent memorial for her son. “Don’t let them discourage y’all. Because Patrick Kimmons’s mom is getting ready to get out here.” pic.twitter.com/lPHcWGzF7i
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) July 30, 2020
A moment of silence. pic.twitter.com/8KuXbUJnUo
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) July 30, 2020
Crowd has grown substantially and is marching down SW Park Ave. pic.twitter.com/UrDk0pbo9y
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) July 30, 2020
Marchers are addressing a group of officers standing in the center of the empty square. pic.twitter.com/J9G11H3ErH
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) July 30, 2020
“Thank you for your cooperation as we attempt to make this a safe space so that parks may be repaired and cleaned.” The sound system echoes across the empty square. (2/2)
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) July 30, 2020
At one point a woman was reportedly assaulted near protesters. Police officers standing nearby did not respond. It is also unclear if either party of the incident were a part of the protest.
A sudden commotion on the sidewalk and a group of marchers start sprinting down the sidewalk. Voices screaming that a man just hit a woman in the face. “A man just assaulted an innocent woman,” a speaker shouts. Volunteer medic asking where the injured person is. pic.twitter.com/IFb6lH4hRE
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) July 30, 2020
Winston addresses the reassembled crowd, encouraging marchers to get the badge numbers of officers who walked away as people chased after someone they say assaulted a woman in the crowd. pic.twitter.com/ciaH6ZyzPF
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) July 30, 2020
Pro-police counterprotesters were seen downtown by the Justice Center.
A group of three Blue Lives Matter demonstrators are gathered a block away on the corner of SW Third and Columbia. They’ve taped up heart-shaped signs. One reads “LOVE STANDS BEHIND THE THIN BLUE LINE.” pic.twitter.com/HahJNmNgFZ
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) July 30, 2020
A Blue Lives Matter counter-protest in front of justice center pic.twitter.com/feHI0MP94M
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) July 30, 2020
A batch of officers in the center of Lownsdale Square. When marchers first arrived, there were 3. pic.twitter.com/sE7IBKNq8v
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) July 30, 2020
Two protesters were arrested, including an individual (seen in the second video below) that has been seen playing a trumpet for protesters at demonstrations.
Portland police arrest a protestor who stood in the street pic.twitter.com/s8k1xUGwgC
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) July 30, 2020
Another arrest pic.twitter.com/OCr6sowvsD
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) July 30, 2020
In the evening, the nightly demonstration in front of the Justice Center and Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse happened as usual.
— Cory Elia (@TheRealCoryElia) July 31, 2020
Portland protest day 63 pic.twitter.com/SbH2sl47ml
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) July 31, 2020
There are hundreds of people out here tonight, 63 days in, though considerably less people than earlier this week where somewhere between 2k-5k filled this space pic.twitter.com/WN1fJD9vr7
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) July 31, 2020
A wall of veterans are out here still pic.twitter.com/Na1BlAXseO
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) July 31, 2020
some peace policing happening… protesters are yelling “people over property!”
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) July 31, 2020
Though federal agents are sheduled to drawn down, the protest began in support in of BLM and against police brutality; 63 days in protestors are still chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “Breaonna Taylor” pic.twitter.com/2zfKAAzFaS
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) July 31, 2020
Thursday 7/30 in front of the Federal Courthouse in downtown Portland. Supposedly the first day Oregon State Police will be replacing some of the Feds.#blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #portland #oregon #blm #acab #PortlandProtest #PDXprotest #PortlandStrong #wallofmoms #WallofVets pic.twitter.com/7tIey5W6Hb
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) July 31, 2020
Speeches in front of the Justice Center have ended and now chanting has moved to the street in front of the Hatfield Federal Courthouse. pic.twitter.com/rYn77FoGzn
— Cory Elia (@TheRealCoryElia) July 31, 2020
The park that previously had the protest kitchen was cleared out by Portland Police earlier today. Feels a lot emptier. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #portland #oregon #blm #acab #PortlandProtest #PDXprotest #PortlandStrong #wallofmoms #WallofVets pic.twitter.com/zNzQ6vDvfl
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) July 31, 2020
New for me are these floodlights on the Federal Courthouse in downtown Portland. Still several hundred people out here right now at Lownsdale Square, which is now has no tents or wheatposted art on the Spanish War monument, but finally has park lights (not in this photo). pic.twitter.com/3SVSikbYWS
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) July 31, 2020
The Wall of Vets have moved in front of the courthouse. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #portland #oregon #blm #acab #PortlandProtest #PDXprotest #PortlandStrong #wallofmoms #WallofVets pic.twitter.com/1lDpHGd9LU
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) July 31, 2020
A #JusticeForVanessaGuillen chant
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) July 31, 2020
Fireworks went off (not the first time), but the speaker tells people not to go to that area (a block north from me).
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) July 31, 2020
As midnight approaches we’ve had speeches & chanting. Wall of Vets still in front of the courthouse & an occasional officer spotting on the roof. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #portland #oregon #blm #acab #PortlandProtest #PDXprotest #PortlandStrong #wallofmoms #WallofVets pic.twitter.com/ETtpzmGXte
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) July 31, 2020
Speakers are currently speaking and leading chants on the megaphone in front of the federal courthouse and the crowd is gathered all around the fed fence – a handful of protesters fill the “closed” park
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) July 31, 2020
The federal fence is shooketh #BlackLivesMatter #PortlandProtests #PortlandProtest #AbolishThePolice #PDXprotests #pdx #DefendPdx #ACAB #Portland #ACABSpring #TrumpThreatensAmerica #TrumpThreatensPortland
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) July 31, 2020
Turns out when you don’t repeatedly shoot at and tear gas a crowd, things stay pretty calm. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #portland #oregon #blm #acab #PortlandProtest #PDXprotest #PortlandStrong #wallofmoms #WallofVets pic.twitter.com/mScMA7T05D
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) July 31, 2020
Never seen this many people sitting on the ground. Seems chill. A speaker is talking about how people get scared of Black people and that bias / stereotype / prejudice needs to really be addressed if people really care Black lives. pic.twitter.com/8yvrueKfc7
— Jake “wear a mask” Johnson (@FancyJenkins) July 31, 2020
At about 1 AM, a new version of the Snack Van (which has been providing snacks for protesters for weeks and has repeatedly been the target of attacks by law enforcement) arrived at the demonstration.
Snackvan v2 #BlackLivesMatter #PortlandProtests #PortlandProtest #AbolishThePolice #PDXprotests #pdx #DefendPdx #ACAB #Portland #ACABSpring #TrumpThreatensAmerica #TrumpThreatensPortland pic.twitter.com/x3XSbV9Z9c
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) July 31, 2020
Protesters putting out a fire on SW 3rd, a half block away from FC. A similar trash fire is extinguished on SW 3rs between Taylor & Yamhill.
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) July 31, 2020
~1/3 of the remaining protesters when I left. Several were further back in Lownsdale Square, others were off getting some grilled hot dogs. pic.twitter.com/KquydRpn1H
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) July 31, 2020
As 2 AM hit and protester numbers dwindled, there still hadn’t been any engagement from law enforcement officers.
Someone just said “yeah there’s like 60 people here… I was actually literally able to do a headcount”
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) July 31, 2020
I can’t confirm as I haven’t recounted but I trust who said this.
Just after 2:50 AM, law enforcement officers were seen walking around in the portico in front of the federal courthouse. Minutes later they went back inside and did not engage with protesters.
Pigs just came out of the federal courthouse behind the fence literally don’t know why no reason. But someone just screamed “hey thanks for not shooting me in the fucking face dick!”
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) July 31, 2020
They already retreated… ok?
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) July 31, 2020
They shined flashlights around then went back inside pic.twitter.com/4goZhFqxq4
— Jake “wear a mask” Johnson (@FancyJenkins) July 31, 2020
Can confirm reports by @R3volutionDaddy and @GriffinMalone6 that this is indeed the current mood in front of the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse pic.twitter.com/bCToqrVfwC
— Jake “wear a mask” Johnson (@FancyJenkins) July 31, 2020
Media
Present
- Alissa @R3volutionDaddy – CashApp: $pdxalissa / Venmo: @R3volutionDaddy
- Andrew D. Jankowski – CashApp $AndrewJank
- Cata Gaitán
- Cory Elia (KBOO) – CashApp $CoryElia / paypal.me/CoryElia / Venmo @ Cory-Elia
- Jake Johnson @FancyJenkins – CashApp: $bucksarecool / Venmo: jakefartstoo / http://Paypal.me/fancyjenkins
- Sergio Olmos
Articles
ABC News
How Portland became nation’s hotbed for clashes between protesters and federal agents
CNN
Columbia Journalism Review
Forbes
Trump Calls Portland Protesters ‘Anarchists’ And ‘Agitators.’ Data Shows Otherwise.
The Guardian
Portland sees peaceful night of protests following withdrawal of federal agents
Independent
Trump threatens to send National Guard to Portland and calls protesters ‘terrorists’
KGW
Campers cleared from Portland parks after protest
Mic
How Black anarchists are keeping the protest movement alive
The Nation
How the DHS Can Still Arrest Journalists in Portland
NBC News
Trump calls Portland protesters ‘terrorists,’ claims they ‘hate our country’
The New Republic
All Police Can Be Secret Police
NPR
How Portland’s Racist History Informs Today’s Protests
OPB
Analysis: Portland protesters vary as much as their arrests
Portland leaders promise less tear gas as Oregon State Police arrive
Portland police clear parks across from federal courthouse in early-morning sweep
The Oregonian
Oregon state troopers start duty at federal courthouse ahead of Portland protests Thursday
Politico
Citing impostors, feds urge lifting of court order protecting journalists amid Portland protests
Portland Mercury
Portland Police Temporarily Barred From Live-Streaming Protests
Portland Police Will Work Closely With State Troopers Guarding Federal Courthouse
ProPublica
Portland Protesters No Longer Being Banned From Attending Protests to Win Release From Jail
Reuters
Portland protesters put out fires as feds withdraw
Revolt
America, here’s the truth about Portland’s protests that the mainstream is hiding
The Seattle Times
Man takes stand against street bonfire amid uncertainty over what happens next in Portland protests
Shootings increase during Portland protests
Time
The Washington Post
DHS compiled ‘intelligence reports’ on journalists who published leaked documents
Protests live updates: Calm returns to Portland protests as federal forces pull back
Willamette Week
Holly Martinez and Rian Peck Are Suing the Federal Government. They’re Not Alone.
President Trump Gives Oregon State Police Two Days to “Clean Out This Beehive of Terrorists”
Mayor Ted Wheeler Apologizes for Portland Police Bureau’s Excessive Use of Tear Gas
Police
Agencies Present
- Portland Police Bureau
- Unidentified federal officers
Munitions
None
Arrests
Charges
Disorderly conduct II, Criminal mischief II, Trespassing II, Interfering with a peace officer