Summary
On election night, protesters gathered at Revolution Hall in SE Portland for a rally and march. Several hundred people listened to speakers who talked about defunding the police and revolutionary activism. Protesters then began a slow march to the west, led by a drumline. Some activists in the group were openly carrying guns. After reaching the Laurelhurst Park area, the march reversed to return to its starting point, continuing more chants, and speeches about the impacts of the election given from a truck at the front.
A smaller group of protesters then went downtown to the Justice Center, where some of them lit a small bonfire. People moved to the other side of the building and danced in the street outside the Central Precinct. The protest ended around 1 AM.
Scheduled Events
- All Power to the People West Coast Solidarity – 5 PM at Revolution Hall
Timeline
Over a dozen people vote in SE Portland as I arrive at official Multnomah County ballot collection boxes near SE 11th isn between Alder and Morrison. Some people walk up, while others drive. The vibe is good. "Make it count, make it count!" a Multnomah County official says. pic.twitter.com/3iPxJBMPfv
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) November 4, 2020
Next to the PDX Resistance Assistance table is a blue medic tent offering free safety supplies (like ear plugs and face masks), water, snacks and “self care bags” full of tea, chocolate, face masks, geodes and bath bombs. pic.twitter.com/Qcaq4tRKP4
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) November 4, 2020
I heard music at Revolution Hall from over a block away. ~200 people are gathered for a planned All Power to the People West Coast Solidarity rally and march. I couldn't hear this musician's name, but his song is called "Head of State." pic.twitter.com/KvFbtPnlYy
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) November 4, 2020
On the ground at Revolution Hall for the All Power to the People West Coast Solidarity assembly, reporting for @portlandmercury on protests and community demonstrations tonight. @MacSmiff is speaking to a crowd of around 200. pic.twitter.com/B7FDRoy9MM
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 4, 2020
Activist Mac Smiff (@MacSmiff) addresses the crowd at Revolution Hall, which has grown to ~200 people:
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) November 4, 2020
“This community gives us wings. We have a goal. We want to defund the Portland police.” pic.twitter.com/bhyVODyJUS
Alisha leads attendees in a chant by Assata Shakur.
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 4, 2020
“It is our duty to fight for our freedom.
It is our duty to win.
We must love and support one other.
We have nothing to lose but our chains.” pic.twitter.com/NoSxo0ZAYj
“We’re gonna take our community back and we *will* have total abolition”
— Beth Nakamura (@bethnakamura) November 4, 2020
Crowd chants “Black power” pic.twitter.com/3vZt3vSOIn
Messages are being projected onto the western wall of Revolution Hall, including:
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) November 4, 2020
– “BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY”
– “WHITE SUPREMACY IS TERRORISM”
– “DEATH TO CAPITALISM”
– “NO JUSTICE NO PEACE”
– “END SYSTEMATIC RACISM”
– “DEATH TO FASCISM” pic.twitter.com/jdGuR1lVmq
There’s also a separate table handing out personal bottles of sanitizer, hand warmers, ponchos, and other cold weather protective gear. It’s not raining right now but the sky occasionally showers on the crowd, and there will be more rain before the night is done. pic.twitter.com/yDI7jVEb3L
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 4, 2020
Fists in the air
— Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile) (@1misanthrophile) November 4, 2020
"Protect the leaders on this stage. Protect each other!"
A chant: "I am a revolutionary!" pic.twitter.com/2H7sR71ptY
I'm on SE 13th & Stark. The sidewalk has 100+ people I didn't count earlier. Traffic is flowing as normal. March organizers are making sure their route won't affect any ballot boxes.
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) November 4, 2020
A bike line on SE Stark is redirecting traffic at 14th. A drum line takes formation near 13th.
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) November 4, 2020
Hundreds in the street on SE Stark are getting ready to march. A leader with a bullhorn briefly teaches easy hand signals to the crowd for situations like “stop” and “pull together.” pic.twitter.com/bUduJ0py1t
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 4, 2020
“We’re not policing protests; let people express their rage”
— Beth Nakamura (@bethnakamura) November 4, 2020
Instructions on breaking windows: pic.twitter.com/eyvUcGbZxm
Marchers are gathered on SE Stark Street and are preparing to leave Revolution Hall. Frontline Drumline drummers accompany the crowd as it chants “Take it to the streets and fuck the police! No justice, no peace! Fuck 12!” pic.twitter.com/OQCISZ5zw2
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) November 4, 2020
I think there may be a thousand marching from Revolution Hall right now. pic.twitter.com/mXWbExxEXH
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 4, 2020
Show me what community looks like ? ? pic.twitter.com/4c2I2maZCJ
— Alissa Azar (@R3volutionDaddy) November 4, 2020
This is one of my favorite chants and I have dubbed it one of the summer’s hottest jams.
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 4, 2020
“Wake up! Wake up! Wake up motherfucker, wake up!” pic.twitter.com/kW9wA6j5eY
The march is paused at SE 15th & Belmont. Several chants, including "Black Disabled Lives, they matter here / Black queers, they matter here" and "No good cops / no good presidents, give the land back to its original residents." pic.twitter.com/8QDdmJqx5T
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) November 4, 2020
Portland protest election night pic.twitter.com/dU2aZb7kJr
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 4, 2020
Life is carrying on around the protest. Many people coming out on the porches as we wind up Belmont, fists raised in support.
— Beth Nakamura (@bethnakamura) November 4, 2020
Then there are the diners pic.twitter.com/gbbmdfOV79
“Everybody come out of your house and into the streets/ no justice no peace” pic.twitter.com/fnXYT56JS3
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 4, 2020
There are A LOT of people open carrying tonight on the March. This person has a hand gun in their wasteband and an AR. #PortlandProtests pic.twitter.com/xsygpXQsCI
— Peter (@gravemorgan) November 4, 2020
A handful of marchers with bullhorns are running up to houses and encouraging residents to join the march.
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 4, 2020
“I have to go to school tomorrow!” one shouts, when someone presumably says they can’t join because of a commitment tomorrow.
“Who did they kill?”
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) November 4, 2020
“Kevin Peterson Jr.!”
“Who did they slay?”
“Kevin Peterson Jr.!”
“Who did they murder?”
“Kevin Peterson Jr.!”
Hundreds marching in Portland for Black Lives Matter pic.twitter.com/fhsyuCIUBY
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 4, 2020
After marching through the SE Belmont business hub around SE 34th, the assembly seems about to pass SE 39th. After much speculation that this group was headed downtown, it certainly seems like they either aren’t going there tonight or they won’t be there for quite a while.
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 4, 2020
The chants aren’t Biden or Trump. The focus of these marches continues to be racial justice, not this presidential election pic.twitter.com/rk8Z60hbfe
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 4, 2020
“One, two, three!”
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) November 4, 2020
“Fuck Trump!” pic.twitter.com/o3zAviKxvX
“All power to the people.
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 4, 2020
All power to the teacher.
All power to the caretaker.
All power to the farmer.
All power to the sex worker.
All power to the people of non-gender expression.” pic.twitter.com/aU8fkVEhoC
As we walk back, the person on the mic talks about what comes after this election, no matter who wins the presidency. There's talk of how many millions of people lose if the ACA gets repealed, for example.
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) November 4, 2020
The speaker talks about how she and other Black people are tired of feeling like they have to hold themselves back or conceal who they really are to protect themselves, or to not upset white fragility.
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) November 4, 2020
As the crowd continues marching down SE Stark St., a young Black activist begins to speak:
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) November 4, 2020
“When I go anywhere I’m always looked at as that loud, angry Black girl. A loud, ghetto Black girl. And it’s sad because I’m so much more than that.” (1/3)
“I am loud, I am angry and I have a voice and I’m going to use it, because God gave it to me. I want you to understand that this is how Black and brown people are looked at on a daily basis.” (2/3)
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) November 4, 2020
“We’ve always had to work ten times harder than the other kids because we don’t get those opportunities. We don’t get those resources. We don’t get the materials that we need to be successful.” (3/3)
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) November 4, 2020
This march is ending, returning to revolution hall pic.twitter.com/Letw338lLG
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 4, 2020
As the crowd marches the final few blocks back to Revolution Hall, people are asked to raise their phone flashlights in the air and sing a call and response:
— Cata Gaitán (@catalinagaitan_) November 4, 2020
“We want glory,
We want justice,
For our brothers,
And our sisters.” pic.twitter.com/4N20r7BXel
Downtown
Some protestors are gathering outside the justice center/ federal courthouse pic.twitter.com/XteumfcqDJ
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) November 4, 2020
A small bonfire has been set. Crowds assembled here in Lownsdale Square are chanting "Fuck Ted Wheeler". #PortlandProtests #PDXprotests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/I7Sm09wD4C
— Justin Yau (@PDocumentarians) November 4, 2020
The marchers returned to Revolution Hall after what a three-hour march. Their numbers dwindled along the way so they returned with only a couple hundred demonstrators.
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 4, 2020
Now there’s a small gathering of protesters by the downtown Portland Justice Center. pic.twitter.com/IDvHkduJWa
Black activists are leading chants with a megaphone
— Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile) (@1misanthrophile) November 4, 2020
"Who's lives matter? Black lives matter!"
"No cops! No prison! Total abolition!"
Sometimes it takes the world a second to catch up to new realities. We stand in a section of the old world that is rapidly ceasing to exist
We're behind the JC now. WAP playing. The cops leave the JC and people shout at the car
— Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile) (@1misanthrophile) November 4, 2020
People start dancing in the middle of the street
It feels like that thing where the chicken has its head cut off and doesn't know it yet
Cops circling with lights on. pic.twitter.com/9VekjLusI2
— Cascadianphotog Media (@Cascadianphotog) November 4, 2020
Media
Present
- Alissa Azar @R3volutionDaddy – CashApp: $pdxalissa / Venmo: @R3volutionDaddy
- Andrew D. Jankowski – CashApp $AndrewJank
- Beth Nakamura (The Oregonian)
- Cata Gaitán – CashApp: $catalinagaitan / Venmo: @catalina-gaitan
- Cory Elia (KBOO) – CashApp $CoryElia / paypal.me/CoryElia / Venmo @ Cory-Elia
- Jacob Hanning & Melissa Lewis @Cascadianphotog – Cashapp: $cascadianphotog / Venmo: cascadianphotog / paypal.me/Cascadianphotog
- Jasper Florence – Venmo: JFlorencePDX
- Justin Yau @PDocumentarians – CashApp: $portlandindepend / PayPal: https://paypal.me/portlandindepend
- Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile) – CashApp/Venmo: misanthrophile / PayPal: askmisanthrophile@gmail.com
- Peter @gravemorgan
- Sergio Olmos (OPB)
- Suzette Smith
Articles
OPB
- Portlanders favor changes to police oversight
- Portland’s design helps make it a protest-friendly city
The Oregonian
- Portland protests continue as election results arrive (live updates)
- Portland voters approve creating new civilian oversight board for police
- Feds seek emergency hold on judge’s 9-square block restriction outside courthouse in Portland as they appeal
- Federal agents sent to Portland to defend courthouse weren’t properly designated for role, may not have received training, report says
Portland Mercury
The Portland Mercury‘s 2020 Live Election Coverage
Willamette Week
- Amid Election Uncertainty, a Small, Armed Crowd of Leftist Protesters Marches Through Portland Neighborhoods
- Portland Voters Overwhelmingly Pass Police Reform Measure to Overhaul Current Oversight System and Build a New One
- City Budget Office Says Hardesty’s Proposed $18 Million Police Cut Would Require Layoffs
- Multnomah County Judge Denies Alan Swinney’s Request to Reduce Bail
Police
Agencies present
- Unified Command: Portland Police, Multnomah County Sheriffs Office, Oregon State Police
Munitions used
N/A
Number of arrests
None
Charges
N/A