Summary
Today is Inauguration Day; this morning Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn is as President and Vice President of the United States. But for anti-fascists across the country, there is still a lot of work to be done despite the new Democrat president. Portlanders gathered at Revolution Hall for a march and were immediately met by Portland Police officers, who asked for protesters’ IDs and searched them for weapons. Officers with bicycles continued harassing the 100-or-so protesters gathered at the park until withdrawing just after 3 pm, allowing the growing crowd to finally march. At its peak, attendance of the march was estimated around 300 people.
The group of protesters got as far as the river before becoming splintered. Some of those in attendance wanted to go over the bridge, while others were moving towards the convention center further north. In stasis due to indecision, most of the group ultimately decided that marching back to Revolution Hall would be better than staying still. As they marched back officers returned and physically splintered the group. Targeted arrests were conducted and protesters were brutalized in the usual manner by Portland Police. By around 4:25 pm the demonstration ended and protesters attempted to leave the area. However, multiple protesters were arrested while leaving the demonstration, including one medic.
Timeline
An Inauguration Day protest begins at Revolution Hall in Northeast Portland at 2 pm.
I am at Revolution Hall. The one nice thing about this location is the amount of dogs.
— Melissa “Claudio” Lewis (@Claudio_Report) January 20, 2021
Gathering protesters are immediately met by Portland Police officers on bicycles.
PPB bike cops, many maskless, are already on the scene escalating the crowd.
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 20, 2021
One person has apparently been searched for carrying pepper spray? pic.twitter.com/spX2PIkNdo
So today’s inauguration day and Portland’s protesting. The first protest was set to start marching at 3. About 25 people have gathered so far and bike cops showed up to intimidate. So here begins my Portland first action of the day thread. Stay with me for updates. pic.twitter.com/7ooUA5bzGR
— Griffin – Live Protest News (@GriffinMalone6) January 20, 2021
They are giving citations as people yell at them. A cop mocks a blak women “why are you yelling” pic.twitter.com/6KMmA0BfZc
— Griffin – Live Protest News (@GriffinMalone6) January 20, 2021
Hi there, coming at you live from Revolution Hall in Portland, OR, where bike cops are writing tickets for a Black woman who was carrying a taser
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
Yes, really pic.twitter.com/lhNllsIG1Y
A cop tries to argue with Dustin “I’ve been nice to you all summer” everyone laughs. There’s about nine cops surrounded by twenty protestors yelling at them. One officer is trying to be snarky, it’s not working.
— Griffin – Live Protest News (@GriffinMalone6) January 20, 2021
About half of the cops have left. Another half is on the other side of the walkway. pic.twitter.com/6dX1QUe0ok
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 20, 2021
This is a small protest, maybe 30 people. Why the cops are here I have no idea. I’m hearing from @it_aint_pretty_ that they just showed up and stood in a line at the entrance to Rev Hall park, then started harassing protesters for carrying weapons (batons and a taser)
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
PPB Officer Jones tells me he’s here because this was organized by PNWYLF and their events “always end in violence.” I ask why that means officers should insert themselves. “Well, we just wanted to come and see if people had weapons.”
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 20, 2021
About seven cop cars are circling. Nothing but words have gone around. Cops have cited people. pic.twitter.com/lFlw4DNn3S
— Griffin – Live Protest News (@GriffinMalone6) January 20, 2021
The police have left after pretty much being pushed out by the folks gathered here. pic.twitter.com/KpmZWyx9ir
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 20, 2021
Bike cops leave. The other half that seemed to leave earlier are back, hanging out at the periphery
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
30-40 protesters just hanging out while bike cops glare
This all seems very silly
Usps honks in solidarity to the crowd. The bike cops a block away are heckling protestors.
— Griffin – Live Protest News (@GriffinMalone6) January 20, 2021
Officers return and confiscate a banner, seen above.
Police just confiscated a banner that reads “cops and klan” with a handshake on it.
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 20, 2021
PPB confiscated this person’s “Cops *handshake* Klan” banner and are now offering to return it.. sans the wooden posts. They have not explained why. pic.twitter.com/gSiJmgx51j
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 20, 2021
One of the officers has his hand on the trigger and it is GREATLY upsetting people here.
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 20, 2021
The crowd is just pleading for them to leave
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 20, 2021
Someone grabbed an officers bike as he tried to leave, the tug of war turns into a big scuffle.
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 20, 2021
About 15 more officers in cars just arrived. This feels like the a middle school recess fight?
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 20, 2021
Black bloc group chants “move back”
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 20, 2021
at the police line. They do. pic.twitter.com/hxtBW1kZy5
People were gathering in the park for the J20 march and the bike cops got aggressive. You can see one officer pull out a knife pic.twitter.com/TRXPznacZL
— Alissa Azar (@R3volutionDaddy) January 20, 2021
Munitions are deployed by Portland Police.
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 20, 2021
Police retreated after throwing a canister of smoke. Waiting to march
— Alissa Azar (@R3volutionDaddy) January 20, 2021
At about 3:10 pm protesters begin marching.
Folks are asking if we can march, “because staying in one place isn’t safe.” Marching has begun!
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 20, 2021
The Portland Police loudspeaker van (a.k.a. “DJ LRAD”) arrives and makes an announcement to protesters, telling them to stay out of the road.
DJ LRAD just showed up and said dont go in the road. So naturally they do. pic.twitter.com/IKMOeDh6e9
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 20, 2021
Footage taking too long to upload and isn’t really very good: other people have better. Let’s do words instead:
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
DJ LRAD just pulled up to tell protesters to stop throwing objects at police officers and to obey all traffic laws
Maybe 100 people here
Group leaves west on Stark: pic.twitter.com/WiJcZ9c7Ua
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 20, 2021
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 20, 2021
Chant: “Fuck Trump! Fuck Biden too! Neither motherfucker gives a shit about you!”
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
DJ LRAD: “Move to the sidewalks, now.”
PPB is ordering people to the sidewalks. pic.twitter.com/CYQ9je7Pjt
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 20, 2021
Lrad threatening crowd control if crowd doesn’t move to the sidewalks. That’s the precedent in Portland now. March on the streets? You get threatened with rubber bullets and mace.
— Griffin – Live Protest News (@GriffinMalone6) January 20, 2021
At least 150 protesters here now, maybe 200, vast majority in bloc
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
The march is meandering towards the convention center. People are not having it
“We’re being swooped!!” someone yells. It’s a term for when people lead marches in pointless directions instead of doing something
An activist on a megaphone says the march needs to keep moving, and we can figure it out on the way
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
An announcement that anyone who doesn’t want to cross can leave
Dueling megaphones. Anger. Disgust at the anger. Stalling
And now the cops have arrived
The march gets out of the road and begins to head back to Rev Hall. Without a destination and unity there seems no point to risking arrest by chilling in the street
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
Importantly though, the swoop failed in the sense that people didn’t follow blindly
“No good cops! No good presidents! Give the land back to its original residents!!”
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
Lot of good new (to me) chants today
“this is the worst March I’ve ever attended! White people should not organize anything!!”
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
“No megaphones!!” someone yells
There’s a group angry that organizers didn’t plan for people’s safety, and people who think it would be safer to keep walking than listening to someone yell
At about 3:45 pm protesters arrive at the Democratic Party of Oregon HQ building and promptly smash the windows.
Windows broken.
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 20, 2021
The march has arrived at the Democratic Party Office, where some windows have met an untimely (timely?) demise
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
Cops arrive immediately and order protesters to stop doing this
The march moves out with some haste while press stays behind to take pics pic.twitter.com/ZI4pfWUaxU
A number of homeless campers set up across the street are yelling at the group to leave. “Now they’re going to make us move! We live here!”
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 20, 2021
The march is being water. Three months ago they would have stayed to face off with the cops and I would have had to film protesters getting beaten up and shot and gassed and I could not be more pleased with this change
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
Officers on bikes return to the protest.
Bike cops coming, group running. Me too I guess pic.twitter.com/oYQslZwxUn
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
Bike cops have split the group. Riot cops van circling. They’re trying to fracture the group and they’re succeeding
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 20, 2021
Group is clustered by NE Glisan and 15. Police say there’s an investigation taking place nearby, and that people must leave the area. At neighboring soccer field, kids’ practices are at a standstill.
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 21, 2021
A scuffle just broke out. Bike cops jump on a person, seem to be arresting them on the ground. pic.twitter.com/eJ1avzsCzN
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 21, 2021
Happening now: riot cops line, protesters standing around and yelling at them
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 21, 2021
God damn it I literally just tweeted that I was happy this wasn’t happening pic.twitter.com/lxOCoOuoAc
Two people arrested, handcuffed. Officers stand between them and the crowd. pic.twitter.com/f5Ig7oUZjn
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 21, 2021
Aaaaaand one officer just sprinted after someone. pic.twitter.com/KbkJ0k7spG
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 21, 2021
Cops attempt to make a targeted arrest. The individual got away. pic.twitter.com/zIRIVbrLk1
— Griffin – Live Protest News (@GriffinMalone6) January 21, 2021
As the cops leave their failed arrest attempt, one of their members gets left behind. A protester gets in front of him and gets shoved to the ground pic.twitter.com/Zt6RUGW5zs
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 21, 2021
At this point, there seem to be more police than protesters here. pic.twitter.com/jcJpUThNnw
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 21, 2021
Police throw a protester into a car, and smash their face into the pavement pic.twitter.com/v05l4t7X5c
— Melissa “Claudio” Lewis (@Claudio_Report) January 21, 2021
PPB is retreating pic.twitter.com/lnD0NNSuhE
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 21, 2021
Maybe 4 dozen protesters? There’s maybe 2 dozen cops out of frame + a riot van full that left pic.twitter.com/kwDCOalhV6
— ?️?Andrew D. Jankowski?️? (@AndrewJank) January 21, 2021
Crowd thinning considerably. Cops preparing to leave seemingly. They escort zip-tied activists to the arrest van
— Laura Jedeed, Space Professional (@LauraJedeed) January 21, 2021
A few half-hearted shouts at cops
Mostly I think everyone is tired of things ending like this. Or maybe that’s just me
PPB has left after three confirmed arrests pic.twitter.com/vfvN0NFRPD
— ????? – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ?????? (@jwcroxton) January 21, 2021
As protesters attempt to leave they continue to be harassed and arrested by officers.
A medic was just arrested for not using a turn signal. They are now searching the medics truck. pic.twitter.com/Hmyz7xOiI7
— Alissa Azar (@R3volutionDaddy) January 21, 2021
Wondering why PPB has low response time and wastes millions? This is how many cop cars are here for arresting two people who were pulled over for not using a turn signal. Many officers are not wearing masks. pic.twitter.com/xxOSX5ma28
— Griffin – Live Protest News (@GriffinMalone6) January 21, 2021
On walk home, I see a swarm of cop cars pull over and grab two people dressed in all black off the sidewalk, and drive away. Bystanders yell and run out of apartments. One business owner tells me: “this is just terrorizing people at this point.”
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) January 21, 2021
Media Present
- Alex Zielinski (Portland Mercury)
- Alissa Azar @R3volutionDaddy – CashApp: $pdxalissa / Venmo: @R3volutionDaddy
- Andrew D. Jankowski – CashApp $AndrewJank
- Griffin Malone – CashApp $griffinmalone
- James Croxton @jwcroxton
- Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile) – CashApp/Venmo: misanthrophile / PayPal: askmisanthrophile@gmail.com
- Melissa “Claudio” Lewis – Cashapp: $ClaudioReport / Venmo: Claudio_Report
Police
Agencies Present
Portland Police Bureau
Munitions
smoke grenades
Arrests
Charges
- Criminal Mischief I
- Criminal Mischief II
- Criminal Mischief III
- Disorderly Conduct II
- Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Possession of a Destructive Device
- Reckless Burning
- Resist Arrest
- Riot