Summary
On Friday, protesters gathered for a march to commemorate the 1963 March on Washington. The event was co-headed by the local NAACP chapter and Fridays 4 Freedom, a youth activist group. The march processed from the Oregon Convention Center to Revolution Hall, where many protests gathered in June, and concluded with speeches. The NAACP reflects an older and more conservative Black establishment, while F4F is made up of more radical youth, and this led to concerns and criticism about whether Fridays 4 Freedom was being supported or co-opted.
In the late afternoon, another protest gathered at the North Park Blocks downtown before marching into the Pearl District, where Mayor/Police Commissioner Ted Wheeler lives. Activists entered his condo building and began a sit-in, presenting a list of demands, followed by the marchers who set up a sound system for music and spoken performances. Neither Wheeler nor the police arrived to respond, and the activists ended their sit-in around 10:15 PM. The music ended a short while later, and many protesters then continued to North Portland for a vigil at Peninsula Park.
Shortly before midnight, the group at the vigil formed a march to the Portland Police Association. Protesters quickly painted graffiti on the blank surface of the PPA building, and created street barricades with dumpsters. A small fire was started at the boarded-up door of the building, and police arrived and declared it a riot at about 12:40 AM. Police put out the fire quickly, then made seemingly random targeted arrests of the crowd, repeatedly saying they would arrest anyone who hadn’t dispersed unless they were clearly marked as press. PPB concluded this action at about 1:45 AM, then returned 15 minutes later after several shots were fired by someone in a passing vehicle. No one was injured in this shooting. Both police and protesters had concluded their activities for the night by 3 AM.
Scheduled Events
- March on Portland – Noon at Oregon Convention Center
- Bloc Party Rally & March at North Park Blocks – 5 PM
- Vigil at Peninsula Park – 9 PM
Timeline
This afternoon, people are gathering outside the Convention Center for a March on Portland, which commemorates the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington.
Today’s event was organized by Portland’s NAACP and Fridays 4 Freedom, a local Black youth-led activist group that has been organizing weekly marches and events throughout the city following the death of George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/LICH0gtdeB
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) August 28, 2020
Here are some signs among the crowd:
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) August 28, 2020
“HERE TO AMPLIFY BLACK VOICES”
“IF NOT US, THEN WHO? IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?”
“BLUE IS NOT A SKIN COLOR”
“TRANS QUEER YOUNG OLD / BLACK LIVES MATTER” pic.twitter.com/uxoWozDp8A
The crowd has gathered on NE MLK Jr. Blvd. and Holladay St. and is preparing to march. A group at the front holds a black banner reading “PORTLAND NAACP + FRIDAYS 4 FREEDOM / 08-28-2020 / MARCH ON PORTLAND” pic.twitter.com/OtN60NnfZM
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) August 28, 2020
The march stops on the overpass as demonstrators chant “Fuck Ted Wheeler!”
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) August 28, 2020
“I’m calling you out. He’s not even here! … He just cares about publicity. About being re-elected.” pic.twitter.com/LFrBpM51dW
Marchers are taking a left onto SE Stark St. chanting “Black Lives Matter!” The crowd fills the street and sidewalk for multiple blocks. pic.twitter.com/UFqzDPX50i
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) August 28, 2020
I moved to the front of the march at NE 12th & Couch. They’re a city block long, lots of kids with parents, elders, people with accessibility devices like wheelchairs and walkers, also journalists, clergy, and legal observers. pic.twitter.com/PmjcT8tikU
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) August 28, 2020
The crowd is led in singing the Black national anthem: pic.twitter.com/wFBNT9ZpVq
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) August 28, 2020
Portland NAACP President Rev. E.D. Mondainé addresses the crowd, listing the names of Black victims of police killings and asking when their moment will come.
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) August 28, 2020
“I’d like to say this is our moment, but it’s not. Because moments like this cannot be owned, only survived.” (1/4) pic.twitter.com/4PfYCx4a6K
Meanwhile, Portland is being well represented by Destiny and other activists who have traveled to DC:
Once in a Lifetime. pic.twitter.com/UiKMRePfEj
— Destiny Houston (@ogdestiny74) August 28, 2020
Back to Portland:
A collective of faith leaders from between Salem, Oregon and Seattle, Washington list their demands, which include defunding police and investing in communities “instead of rioting cops:” pic.twitter.com/1oqnOFIY56
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) August 28, 2020
A representative of Teressa Raiford’s write-in campaign for Portland mayor speaks:
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) August 28, 2020
“[Portland has been taken over by] fascists and nazis and they brutalize our citizens, especially our Black communities, on a daily basis. They are the Portland Police Bureau.” (1/3) pic.twitter.com/2hElYMj85V
Moving to the Bloc Party event, protesters are marching through the Pearl District chanting “abolish the police!”
DAY 90: What do the protesters want? pic.twitter.com/HuqZwD5hQa
— Defund PPB ?? (@MacSmiff) August 29, 2020
Nearby, a group of protesters has gone to Mayor/Police Commissioner Ted Wheeler’s home with some demands:
They have now locked themselves together. Here are the demands. pic.twitter.com/ylytE8Uy3J
— Portland DSA (@PortlandDSA) August 29, 2020
The Bloc Party march has arrived outside:
Huge crowd gathering outside #TearGasTed‘s apartment in #PDX.
— PopMob (Popular Mobilization) (@PopMobPDX) August 29, 2020
Protesters coming with clear demands. We’re out here to #AbolishThePolice and get Wheeler tf out of office#BlackLivesMatter #PortlandProtests https://t.co/l7ghz0SvxU pic.twitter.com/tcjxLjrmq5
Someone brought a bouquet of used munitions:
Crowd control munition bouquet pic.twitter.com/TzDbCV5UzR
— Soundtrack to the End (@_WhatRiot) August 29, 2020
Protesters demands are read outside Mayor @tedwheeler apartment by @MacSmiff pic.twitter.com/Kc3UcZfWz9
— Alex Milan Tracy (@AlexMilanTracy) August 29, 2020
All the sudden, issa a dance party!
— Defund PPB ?? (@MacSmiff) August 29, 2020
w/ @KARMARIVERA pic.twitter.com/3kpHg51R3s
.@MacSmiff on the mic speaking to the deep principles involved in these protests, on the larger movement
— PopMob (Popular Mobilization) (@PopMobPDX) August 29, 2020
“Follow the principles that make sense in your heart and your soul”
“The movement can’t die with us cause it’s not about us”#PortlandProtests #AbolishThePolice pic.twitter.com/ydVHNCZc3O
The bands are lit.
— Defund PPB ?? (@MacSmiff) August 29, 2020
They’ve included the Black youth for warmups. pic.twitter.com/NI7s6cLYGQ
Protestors in front of Ted Wheelers apartment with live music, generators and dancing. Three protestors are inside the lobby locking themselves down protesting the mayor and cities lack of actions.
— Griffin – Live from Portland (@GriffinMalone6) August 29, 2020
Brian’s live tweeting @BaghdadBrianpic.twitter.com/hz7si8vrO7
Red paint handprints on the window, still three people attached together inside. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #Portland #Oregon #BLM #PortlandProtest #pdxprotest pic.twitter.com/rHkhnFtmu0
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 29, 2020
The other vigil across town is kicking off, so follow that below under the header “North Portland”.
Some of the people in the lobby of Ted Wheeler’s apartment left for safety reasons.
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 29, 2020
Lobby occupiers have left, intermittent chanting commingles with music, dancing; someone briefly climbed a pedestrian light pole? pic.twitter.com/UXgUXpFxDG
— Beth Nakamura (@bethnakamura) August 29, 2020
Ted Wheelers condo security guard kept escalating and blaming the teens that were occupying for what was happening outside (chalking and hand prints on window). So they decided to end the occupation. #PortlandProtests
— John #PortlandProtest (@Johnnthelefty) August 29, 2020
The music is wrapping up, and reports are that people are leaving to go to the Peninsula Park event now.
North Portland
Tonight’s vigil at Peninsula Park:
Reminder that action is STILL happening here tonight. Moment of silence, hours of rage. Cascadianphotog is here. https://t.co/cU2PIznzBb
— Cascadianphotog Media (@Cascadianphotog) August 29, 2020
This speaker on Peninsula Park is addressing the shooting incident in the unrest in Kenosha following the police shooting of #JacobBlake. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/AOlr85h5kZ
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 29, 2020
The vigil at Peninsula Park is very mellow.
— Lesley McL (@Human42LM) August 29, 2020
Scattered small groups mostly have a candle or small light.
Someone is making gigantic bubbles.
These flowers & candles are on the steps of the gazebo. pic.twitter.com/KGgdZK1dj2
Shots fired north of the event seem to be unrelated:
We walked away for a bit because we heard 10 gun shots. About .9 miles away from the park and seems to completely unrelated to the protests. We heard it was possibly shot from a car in a residential neighborhood and no one appears to be hurt
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) August 29, 2020
There are multiple ambulances and fore dept vehicles standing by. Residents in the area say there was street racing shortly before the shooting happened. pic.twitter.com/Jxpj9jEkcx
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 29, 2020
At Peninsula Park, marigolds lay atop an image of Emmett Till on the anniversary of his death—August 28, 1955
— Beth Nakamura (@bethnakamura) August 29, 2020
Protesters are now marching to the Portland Police Association building#PortlandProtests pic.twitter.com/AEJHImRauH
Protesters have put orange cones in the main roadway in front of PPA, have taken over the road
— Beth Nakamura (@bethnakamura) August 29, 2020
An angry driver sped through them, a few protesters (and uh me) quickly scatter from his path
Portland Police Association pic.twitter.com/dQjInqYpgZ
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) August 29, 2020
A large and very bloc’d up crowd has just made a surprise night march on the PPA. pic.twitter.com/oyLZnGHzrF
— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@IwriteOK) August 29, 2020
Protestors started a dumpster fire outside the Portland police association building pic.twitter.com/RoceCvO5cu
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 29, 2020
The dumpster barricade has been set ablaze on N Lombard St. One Portland Police squad car briefly drove by. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/oG9s2Kmu3C
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 29, 2020
12:39 AM – riot declared
This has been declared a riot! pic.twitter.com/8k2AyPLvgG
— Defund PPB ?? (@MacSmiff) August 29, 2020
Portland police association, moments before PPB declared a riot and stormed in pic.twitter.com/nUFIqnRDWA
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) August 29, 2020
Riot declared and police have shown up. Folks tackled and arrested and officers put fire out quickly. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #Portland #Oregon #BLM #PortlandProtest #pdxprotest #portlandpolice pic.twitter.com/NJSCFI8quz
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 29, 2020
Portland Police declared a riot. Officers stormed the PPA building area from multiple directions. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/zkQnLrdM0X
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 29, 2020
Police charge and tackle then arrest a random person on the sidewalk. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #Portland #Oregon #BLM #PortlandProtest #pdxprotest #portlandpolice pic.twitter.com/R3qRRE5602
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 29, 2020
Officer in Portland saying “If they’re not press, arrest them!” #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #Portland #Oregon #BLM #PortlandProtest #pdxprotest #portlandpolice pic.twitter.com/dPEYqtAA1T
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 29, 2020
Noticeable shift recently with police scrutinizing people to supply press pass or risk arrest, it plays out here ? pic.twitter.com/vRp8da8f2k
— Beth Nakamura (@bethnakamura) August 29, 2020
CW: assault with pepper spray
Seven officers make an arrest. pic.twitter.com/xi3jDaCTcm
— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@IwriteOK) August 29, 2020
Police charge into a residential area and arrest anyone not marked as press that they can grab. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #Portland #Oregon #BLM #PortlandProtest #pdxprotest #portlandpolice pic.twitter.com/Hr2pNhBp8x
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 29, 2020
We’re seeing them repeatedly target anyone who isn’t marked as press for arrests during these dispersals, and physically shoving reporters they think are too close:
Officer gets in this reporter’s face and yells “QUIT FOLLOWING THE COPS!” #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #Portland #Oregon #BLM #PortlandProtest #pdxprotest #portlandpolice pic.twitter.com/1uHNG08XWg
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 29, 2020
Police are making lots of arrests, between one or two dozen pic.twitter.com/4KU5E8VfB7
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 29, 2020
“You’re going to jail” — officer to motorcyclist, who appeared to be trying to leave the scene pic.twitter.com/5FAKuuS0Ne
— Beth Nakamura (@bethnakamura) August 29, 2020
Officers head back to the PPA for a small break in between arresting charges. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #Portland #Oregon #BLM #PortlandProtest #pdxprotest #portlandpolice pic.twitter.com/lMbVtxZHQT
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 29, 2020
One cop grinning and taunting protesters as he tries to arrest and chase them. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #Portland #Oregon #BLM #PortlandProtest #pdxprotest #portlandpolice pic.twitter.com/bPoNKUZf0R
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 29, 2020
The crowd criticized police actions as two officers filmed members of the press. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/8v2BDGcVWP
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 29, 2020
Police roll out after standing in front of the PPA for about half an hour. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #Portland #Oregon #BLM #PortlandProtest #pdxprotest #portlandpolice pic.twitter.com/FB5dtV9NwB
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 29, 2020
The cops are gone. Day 93. pic.twitter.com/O3NdQPziY1
— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@IwriteOK) August 29, 2020
Here’s the extent of the damage done to plywood covering the PPA building. #blacklivesmatter #protest #pdx #Portland #Oregon #BLM #PortlandProtest #pdxprotest #portlandpolice pic.twitter.com/jOUKdpACfp
— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 29, 2020
Shots fired at about 2 AM, after police had left the scene:
Shots just fired
— Daddy M (@R3volutionDaddy) August 29, 2020
There were gunshots. No one is hurt. The event is over.
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 29, 2020
Multiple shots were just fired 1 block away from the Portland Police Association Building. Shell casings have been discovered at the scene. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/tlXj9mHKz4
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 29, 2020
Portland Police Officers have arrived to investigate the shooting and assess possible injuries. Witnesses told me the shooter fired into the air from a vehicle. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/C05pEQNU5M
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 29, 2020
Cops are responding to a drive by shooting by accosting police.
— Defund PPB ?? (@MacSmiff) August 29, 2020
Police trying to argue with people and losing horribly. pic.twitter.com/Oz07okG1dU
Police spent 15 minutes accusing journalists of being too close to the crime scene, then left without any CSI or detective types doing any investigations.
— Defund PPB ?? (@MacSmiff) August 29, 2020
I have a massive headache. Time to hit the road. pic.twitter.com/HzUPIkr3CT
Media
Present
- Alex Milan Tracy – https://moneyyy.me/$alexmilantracy
- Alissa @R3volutionDaddy – CashApp: $pdxalissa / Venmo: @R3volutionDaddy
- Andrew D. Jankowski – CashApp $AndrewJank
- Beth Nakamura (The Oregonian)
- Cata Gaitán – CashApp: $catalinagaitan / Venmo: @catalina-gaitan
- Cozca @KohzKah – CashApp $cozca
- Dave Killen (The Oregonian)
- Garrison Davis – CashApp $hungrybowtie / paypal.me/garrisondavispdx
- Justin Yau @PDocumentarians – CashApp: $portlandindepend / PayPal: https://paypal.me/portlandindepend
- Leslie McL (KBOO) – CashApp: $LuhCreative / PayPal: http://PayPal.me/LuhCreative / Venmo: @Human42LM
- Mac Smiff – CashApp: $MacSmiff
- Peter @gravemorgan
- Robert Evans
- Sergio Olmos
Articles
The Guardian
Portland suffers serious street violence as far right return ‘prepared to fight’
OPB
- Portland protests frequently labeled ‘riots,’ but some say police use laws arbitrarily
- A Portland volunteer protest medic’s dispatch from the front lines
- Fears of more violence as another Trump rally comes to Portland Saturday
The Oregonian
- NAACP, Black youth organization hold ’March on Portland’ on 57th anniversary of ’I Have A Dream’
- Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler rebukes Donald Trump in open letter: ‘Stay away, please’
Portland Mercury
- On the Anniversary of the March on Washington, Remember Gay Hero Bayard Rustin
- Why Do Portland Police Keep Slashing Protesters’ Tires?
Police
Agencies present
- Portland Police Bureau
Munitions used
- Pepper spray
Number of arrests
Charges
- Riot
- Resist Arrest
- Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Attempt Assaulting a Public Safety Officer
- Disorderly Conduct II
- Escape III