Summary
Tuesday afternoon, families gathered at a Black Lives Matter rally in Sunnyside School Park in SE Portland for speeches and a neighborhood march. Later in the evening, protesters met at Shemanski Park downtown, then marched to City Hall. On arriving, police announced over the LRAD that the protest was an unlawful gathering. No police were stationed to block access to the building. Instead, some of the people present discovered that the front doors were unlocked and so they entered the building and painted graffiti and broke some windows.
About 15-20 minutes later, police arrived and pushed protesters to the south on SW 4th Avenue. Several people were tackled and arrested. The protesters then marched west and around the block to the other side of City Hall on SW 5th. More windows were broken, then the march continued again to gather at the Elk Statue location between SW 3rd and 4th on SW Main St. After stopping and chanting at this location, protesters returned to the front of City Hall on SW 4th Ave. Next, police declared a riot and pushed the crowd to the west, making more arrests. The group was split by this dispersal and a smaller number returned again to City Hall. After another announcement that there was still a riot, the protest was pushed back to the south, where people then had a small dance party. More rounds of sweeping in to arrest individuals continued, with smaller groups continuing to return to the area outside City Hall through 2 AM.
Scheduled Events
- Kid-Centered March for Black Lives! – 6 PM at Sunnyside School Park
- Shemanski Park Direct Action March – 8 PM
Timeline
Starting off this afternoon in SE Portland at the Kid-Centered March for Black Lives:
Here at the Kid’s March at Sunnyside School. Glad I don’t have to follow this kid. pic.twitter.com/UzFZd1F1EV
— Do It For The Futures ?? (@MacSmiff) August 26, 2020
Took a nice walk with the kids. Caught up with some friends. pic.twitter.com/5FtX7xLaRv
— Do It For The Futures ?? (@MacSmiff) August 26, 2020
Next up, protesters are gathering downtown at Shemanski Park (to the west of the Justice Center area and adjacent to museums, arts and performance buildings):
Shemanski park smells like sage and has about 75 people gathered for tonight’s protest.
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
And now here we are at the park. Someone with a megaphone just got the crowd moving without the usual discussion of possible destinations so ??
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
New coat of paint for the Breonna Taylor Medical Vehicle. #PortlandProtests #pdxprotest #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/1J0fixF3PR
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 26, 2020
We have arrived at City Hall! pic.twitter.com/VTHWdeiof8
— Cascadianphotog Media (@Cascadianphotog) August 26, 2020
Looks like tonight’s spot is City Hall. 150-200 standing in SW 4th.
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
But like when a pug gets a piece of lettuce, what do they do with city hall? pic.twitter.com/kYMNclhVt4
Immediately again tonight, it’s declared an unlawful assembly:
Dj LRAD is announcing an unlawful assembly… we just got to city hall
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) August 26, 2020
Also curious about the choice to leave the front door open. So’s the LRAD. UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY, says LRAD.
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
Like really y’all. What was the play here? pic.twitter.com/oAOb2K5AVK
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
“They left the door open, it’s a trap” a protester says pic.twitter.com/clQW4zhSxp
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 26, 2020
It’s fairly eerie. Waiting for the shoe to drop. pic.twitter.com/8gtdjM8lmA
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
Police are pushing protesters away from City Hall now:
Portland Police & MCSO deputies have arrived on scene and pushed crowds one block South from the city hall building. #PortlandProtests #pdxprotest #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/8E4xAYmiOo
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 26, 2020
Chaotic push to the south. Press not permitted to remain. A person who appears to be an NLG observer pushed by an officer. pic.twitter.com/EulZsQSSea
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
The diligent street cleaning volunteer is back tonight. She is still picking up trash as officers hold a perimeter around the city hall intersection. #PortlandProtests #pdxprotest #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/q4ZuacfBEp
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 26, 2020
Police charge into protestor shield wall, baton legs and make arrests pic.twitter.com/ACzc0NyNPb
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 26, 2020
Sudden rush and arrest of someone standing on the corner. pic.twitter.com/22FFIkAPGN
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
Officer 12 shooting at protesters for touching a riot munition with their toes pic.twitter.com/dDMpSCw7HF
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
More video of the arrests on SW 4th. Officer holding a can of mace on a group of press, that may include a protester. pic.twitter.com/59KpW5C08y
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
Crowd now moving to the west, as was previously instructed by PPB
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
“Every city every town, burn the precinct to the ground” pic.twitter.com/QngT8EllIu
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 26, 2020
After a standoff on SW 4th, protesters marched over to SW 5th. Now they’re on the othe side of city hall. pic.twitter.com/EhsToP8PHK
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
Protestors wrapped around to the other side of city hall and broke the windows pic.twitter.com/vjrLi8Sb8W
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 26, 2020
Sorry. It was south before. Then west. Crowd has now arrived at back entrance of city hall, hung out a few minutes, and is now off again, because the LRAD came around and said to move. pic.twitter.com/9ypF98LS8A
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
“A C A B – All cops are bastards!”
The crowd, singing its favorite song. pic.twitter.com/B1mHIAGHkU
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
Protestors return to the entrance of city hall. Police have left, for now pic.twitter.com/c6YGcHbKBz
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 26, 2020
11:12 PM – riot declared
The crowd quickly bored at the park and moved to City Hall.
— Do It For The Futures ?? (@MacSmiff) August 26, 2020
Cops quickly came to break it up.
Oh it's a riot now? pic.twitter.com/5pnSEzqoxa
Riot declared. There was a brief attempt to use fire on the plywood boarding up City Hall. pic.twitter.com/5VnADskOJx
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
PPB rushes the crowd, pushing west up SW Jefferson. pic.twitter.com/acmNTFABGl
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
Police arrest teenager for standing in the street against police orders pic.twitter.com/lT9bg4rF0M
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 26, 2020
LRAD back. Riot declared. “Be water” goes out. Crowd moving west nabbed by riot line, a few arrests. pic.twitter.com/txLBnlDFTd
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
Protester chanting “We don’t die! We multiply!”
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
An officer tosses a flash bang grenade at a group of protesters on the far corner of SW 5th and SW Jefferson. pic.twitter.com/E24N3uZuzv
Crowd just did a neat maneuver, running the wrong way up a one way with lots of vehicles on it. Not sure that it was deliberate. Crowd is now a little scattered, with divided opinions on whether it’s time to be water or regroup (two different things) pic.twitter.com/i0B85wUwgJ
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
There may be more bits of this crowd somewhere downtown. This crew is at about 100. One thing the fed snatch vans have accomplished: everyone is now suspicious of every minivan. I’ve seen the same van pointed to as a suspected fed van 3 times tonight. It’s driven by protesters.
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
Back at City Hall on SW 4th. Someone is singing in the entryway. PPB remind the protesters this is a riot and order them to disperse south and west. pic.twitter.com/NsOmqd6wck
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
The protest was dispersed again toward the south.
Reminder, during dance party, that this is still a riot. pic.twitter.com/tYRYlioNIN
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
Police try to arrest someone and they don’t catch them, so they arbitrarily grab someone else. pic.twitter.com/G0wQICnV4M
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
Police asks people if their press, make arrests of people who don’t say they are pic.twitter.com/vpBiNDsjbQ
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 26, 2020
Officer 12 targeted by some freestyle heckling. pic.twitter.com/OLXVG7LjNo
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
After a brief kettling on SW 4th the police withdraw. A couple people creep up to City Hall.
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
“The door’s still open! You could go in and print off some shit,” one says.
“Don’t go in there!” Another protester warns. “It’s a trap!”
“Yeah, I’ve seen that movie! Jigsaw’s in there!”
Portland Police secure the entrance of city hall. Officers are lined up in front of the "Defund" flower display. #PortlandProtests #pdxprotest #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/CLmVxWldZc
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 26, 2020
There are like 25 people left at the downtown Portland protest. At least 15 seem to be press. Some officers have arrived and are standing in front of City Hall to, according to them, make sure maintenece can enter the building. pic.twitter.com/GRAkwHourI
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
And right when I thought I was leaving, police push and arrest another person who was heckling on the sidewalk. Several people in the crows said they saw an officer stomp on the arrestee’s hand while they were on the ground. pic.twitter.com/Nvi1Pnc0Kr
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
And then thought I was leaving again. But then a riot van whipped around to 5th and made another arrest. Didn’t see anything preceding it. But none of the arrests I’ve seen start-to-finish tonight had any more justification than the pointing finger of a commanding officer. pic.twitter.com/3G18KWfkQW
— 45th ןǝןןɐɹɐd ʇsıpɹnsqɐ ǝpɐbıɹq (@45thabsurdist) August 26, 2020
One of the last things I saw tonight was these two officers throwing a smoke grenade north on SW 4th and shooting munitions down the street. Heard that people had been messing with a police car, but I didn’t see it. pic.twitter.com/IwTCtyt6HF
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) August 26, 2020
Media
Present
- Alissa @R3volutionDaddy – CashApp: $pdxalissa / Venmo: @R3volutionDaddy
- Justin Yau @PDocumentarians – CashApp: $portlandindepend / PayPal: https://paypal.me/portlandindepend
- Mac Smiff – CashApp: $MacSmiff
- Sergio Olmos
- Suzette Smith
- 45th Parallel Absurdist Brigade – CashApp: $45thabsurdist / Venmo: the45thabsurdist
Articles
Huffington Post
Portland Police Are Giving Up On Policing The Far-Right
Newsweek
Federal Agents Used Tactics Designed for ‘War Zones’ Against Portland Protesters, Lawsuit Alleges
OPB
- Oregon Republicans put Portland protests in convention spotlight
- Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell explains officer response to violent rally
The Oregonian
- Portland police respond to criticism for not intervening in violent downtown clash: ‘You run the risk of making a bad situation remarkably worse’
- Last jail in Oregon to house immigration detainees to end ICE contract
- Portland protests move to City Hall on 3-month anniversary of George Floyd’s death
Portland Mercury
Sign Language Interpreter Gets Arrested While Making Portland Protests More Accessible
Willamette Week
- Portland Police Bureau Knew Tusitala “Tiny” Toese Was Attending a Proud Boy Rally While a Wanted Man
- Portland Architecture Blog Visits the Elk Statue in Storage, Confirms It Wasn’t Actually Destroyed by Protesters
Police
Agencies present
- Portland Police Bureau
- Multnomah County Sheriffs Office
Munitions used
- Smoke
- Pepper balls
- Impact munitions
- Flash bangs
Number of arrests
Charges
- Disorderly Conduct II
- Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Harassment
- Resist Arrest
- Escape 3
- Riot
- Unlawful Directing of Light from a Laser Pointer
- Assaulting a Public Safety Officer
- Criminal Mischief II
- Trespass II
- Attempt Assault of a Public Safety Officer
- Burglary II