PORTLAND, OR– For weeks on end, chaotic and
often violent protests against racial injustice have topped every
news outlet and social media platform. Now, black residents in
Portland are speaking out as they reportedly feel silenced and
drowned out by the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests.
Often, these protests start peaceful, but end up being dominated
by nightly riots and violence caused by predominately white Antifa
extremists.
Lost in the shouting and protesting are the voices of many
black Portland residents and, their feelings about the unrest are
nuanced and diverse.
As Portland experiences more
than 70 days of violent protests, riots, arson attacks, soaring
homicides & shootings, @washingtonpost
actually published a glowing photo essay on
#antifa riot fashion. What is wrong w/reporter @Marissa_Jae
& the editors there? https://t.co/uiqmwXT9cY pic.twitter.com/lJhrPW6avC— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo)
August 10, 2020
Some feel that the large groups of white protesters,
particularly those committing vandalism, are co-opting the Black
Lives Matter movement whereas others welcome white protesters
because with their large numbers, they can draw greater attention
to the city’s racial inequality in ways that black protesters
alone cannot.
Others strongly believe that there cannot be a Black Lives
Matter movement without defunding the police. On the other hand,
some have said that in a recent vote, a specialized gun violence
reduction unit was cut and that is the reason why there has been a
sharp spike in shootings that have devastated their community.
WHITE
#AntifaTerrorists DON’T CARE ABOUT
#BLACKLIVES!ONLY CARE ABOUT THE #BLM
PROTESTS & RIOTS#Black
residents of
#Portland, Oregon, are reportedly feeling silenced and drowned
out by ongoing
#BlackLivesMatter protests, which have been dominated by
nightly riots and violence https://t.co/0Wyt32pKOR pic.twitter.com/2MKyzV5Gp9— LuxVeritasJYP (@StackLuxVeritas)
August 10, 2020
Most importantly, many black residents are primarily concerned
that this critical opportunity for achieving racial justice in
Portland’s black community might be lost.
With the many loud competing voices, and the news constantly
reporting what they believe others should know, the situation has
been reduced to a culture war when according to those in the
community, the reality of it is much more complex.
Neil Anderson, a Black business owner said:
“It happens so much that the things we care about get
hijacked and put on the back burner. And that just gets put into a
big barrel with everything else. We all want the same thing, but so
often we get drowned out.â€
Seneca Cayson, who has helped lead peaceful gatherings in
downtown Portland has mixed feelings about white demonstrators. He
feels that white protesters who commit vandalism, are violent, and
taunt the police are distracting from the message.
However, he also says that he recognizes they are drawing
attention to racial injustice in a way he, a black man could never
do.
He said:
“What the white people have is something that we
don’t and that’s rights. We are fighting alongside them to be
equal.â€
Protests in Portland, Oregon,
have topped the headlines for days, but lost in the shouting are
the voices of Black residents themselves. https://t.co/sicTOyy9tA— KUSI News (@KUSINews)
August 10, 2020
In June, the City Council cut nearly $16 million from the Police
Bureau budget. This deep budget cut shut down programs like the gun
violence reduction unit, a youth services program, and it ended the
presence of school resource officers in three of its school
districts.
Portland Police report 99
incidents of gunfire in July of 2020 compared to 35 in 2019. Police
Chief @ChiefCLovell
says part of the reason is the elimination of the Gun Violence
Reduction unit. He said there is now a lack of deterrent .— Pat Dooris (@PatDooris)
August 5, 2020
When July hit, the city saw a sharp rise in gun violence that
has overwhelmingly hurt black people. There were 99 shootings, more
than triple the amount from July 2019. The city has also tallied
366 non-suicide shootings already this year, compared to the 388
for all of 2019. According to Sgt. Derrick Foxworth, nearly
two-thirds of the victims in July shootings were black.
Portland grapples with surging
homicides following police budget cuts …https://t.co/HU98KsWuwV— Gabriel Foley ðŸŽ™ï¸ (@gabrielfoley)
August 3, 2020
A mother, Kimberly Dixon, who lost her son to gun violence back
in 2013, said that the dissolution of the gun violence reduction
unit has truly hurt the black community.
She said:
“You took away the expertise that was there, the
relationships that were there. That connectivity is important,
historical context is important. When you disbanded it, did you
rebuild? This is the carnage that is left in the
community.â€
Over the weekend, violence erupted in downtown Portland as
protesters destroyed property, lit fires, and threw harmful objects
at officers, including a commercial-grade firework that injured two
officers. 16 people were arrested for disorderly conduct and
interfering with a peace officer.
Here is another article from Law Enforcement Today about the
unrest in Portland:
PORTLAND, OR – Nothing to see here in
Portland. It is all peaceful protests being conducted by peaceful
people just wanting their voices to be heard.
That is what the mainstream media would want you to believe
anyway.
But once again, we are reporting on something that you won’t
see on CNN, MSNBC or anywhere in the New York Times or the
Washington Post.
The Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct just happens to be
in a residential neighborhood. But that didn’t stop the
“peaceful†rioters from turning their attention to the station
or the officers who work there.
The rioters, many of whom wore helmets and carried shields (as
we are all inclined to do when we are seeking to incite peace),
tried to destroy surveillance cameras before spray painting
them.
According to a police report obtained by
the Daily Wire, the Portland Police Department said in a
statement:
“Several people in the group began to ram a large 2 by
4 piece of wood in to the front glass doors in an effort to shatter
them,â€
They continued:
“Other members of the group slammed different heavy
large objects into the glass doors as well. The objects included
large rocks.â€
Finally saying:
“By 9:50 p.m., those who had been destructing the East
Precinct glass doors successfully cracked them, causing significant
damage,†the department continued.
“Since serious ongoing criminal behavior continued, a
riot was declared at 9:56 p.m. At 10 p.m., the front doors of East
Precinct were barricaded and a fire was started using plywood and
an accelerant.â€
Andy Ngo, who has been covering the Portland Antifa scene, and
has been victimized by them more than once, tweeted from the
scene.
For the first time since the
riots began in Portland, antifa attacked the east precinct, located
far on the east side of the city. Rioters immediately began
disabling security cameras around the building.
#PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/s6hoPPwAs1— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo)
August 6, 2020
And like what
#antifa have done w/every building they’ve attacked,
they’re now tearing off the protective barrier to the east
precinct to break inside. The crowd chants “didn’t see shitâ€
to remind everyone to comply w/remaining silent.
#PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/tL8DlYcgfi— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo)
August 6, 2020
According to the Daily Wire article, on top of the fire being
set, and the rocks being thrown at officers, they were also hit
with commercial-grade fireworks, had lasers pointed in their faces
and at one point had rioters attempt to run them over with a
truck.
The department said:
“When officers moved to disperse the rioters, they
‘were hit with projectiles and commercial grade
fireworks,â€
They went on to say:
“Because of life safety issues created by members in
the group, CS gas and crowd control munitions were used. While
dispersing efforts continued, a truck associated with the group
attempted to run over several officers.â€
They continued:
“Portland police said that officers were pelted with
large rocks that were the size of shot puts, and they had to repel
attacks from the violent rioters two more times over the following
two hours.â€
Please note, these are not simply cat toys these individuals are
using.
Here is a look at the type of tools they are using, as deployed
on Ngo:
“As Zielinski knows, antifa have tried to kill me
& have shown up to my family’s home. Yet, she stated exactly
where I could be found to a mob of hundreds. Immediately antifa
tried to blind me w/lasers. It was painful & I still have light
sensitivity now. They then confronted me.â€
As Zielinski knows, antifa
have tried to kill me & have shown up to my family’s home. Yet,
she stated exactly where I could be found to a mob of hundreds.
Immediately antifa tried to blind me w/lasers. It was painful &
I still have light sensitivity now. They then confronted me.
pic.twitter.com/uMPM3w8cd9— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo)
July 29, 2020
And, they aren’t just using them on reporters and the police.
They are going after EVERYONE:
“After #antifa were dispersed by police following the
attack on the East Precinct, they tried to blind a woman at her
home with lasers and attacked her.â€
After
#antifa were dispersed by police following the attack on the
East Precinct, they tried to blind a woman at her home with lasers
and attacked her.Antifa have gone into residential parts of the city after moving
on from attacking federal courthouse. pic.twitter.com/mKcrgHixmC— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo)
August 6, 2020
Keep in mind, that as these “protests of peace†close in on
100 consecutive days, the city of Portland continues to seek to
defund their law enforcement community. Ironically, July was the
most violent month the city has seen in close to 30 years.
Continue reading for another example of these riots that the
mainstream media will not cover.
PORTLAND, OR- Not much has changed in regards
to the constant violence that has been directed at police officers
across the country, especially in Portland since May.
During a riot that took place on August 1st, protesters hurled
glass bottles and pointed lasers at police officers, which lead to
the the declaration of an unlawful assembly and two arrests.
A large group of about 200 people gathered in Laurelhurst Park,
which is a change of pace from the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse and
the Justice Center, that are normally the targets of protests and
riots.
The crowd marched, while others in vehicles blocked traffic on
East Burnside Street. Officers deflated all four tires of a car
that was attempting to interfere with law enforcement
operations.
Rioters, and individuals wearing “press†on their clothing,
began their typical behavior and attacks on officers by shining
bright lights, including lasers in their eyes, and eventually began
hurling glass bottles at them.
Antifa are trashing a
southeast Portland residential neighborhood in an effort to slow
down Portland Police who are moving them away from the facility
they were attacking with glass bottles.
#PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/wnhduflKJK— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo)
August 2, 2020
Portland Police Bureau said in an incident summary:
“A person in the crowd threw a glass jar or bottle
filled with paint, which struck a Portland Police officer in the
head. The officer was not injured,â€
After repeated attempts to clear the crowd, police declared an
unlawful assembly and forced rioters to disperse.
The bureau said:
“People continued to throw glass and plastic bottles
at police. People with ‘press’ written on their outer garments
[indicating journalists] repeatedly threw objects at
officers,â€
It is very sad that the people who should be unbiased in their
reporting on the mistreatment of the police officers, are the ones
attacking them.
Once the crowd was dispersed a safe distance away, police
disengaged and returned to the Penumbra Kelly Building, but a large
portion of the mob circled back toward the building and once again
began throwing objects at police. Members of the “press†were
involved in the second round of violence against officers as
well.
Source tells me a Portland
Police officer was hit on the head by a glass bottle. A person
wearing “PRESS†markings also participated in throwing
projectiles at the southeast precinct.
#PortlandRiots— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo)
August 2, 2020
Two men from Portland were arrested. Max Van Briesen, 31, was
arrested for assaulting a Public Safety Officer, interfering with a
Police Officer, and disorderly conduct in the second degree. The
second man, Freedom Moreno, 34, was arrested for interfering with a
Police Officer, disorderly conduct in the second degree, resisting
arrest, and harassment.
Another, more peaceful protest took place at the federal
courthouse, and lasted approximately two hours, with no
altercations or police interaction.
Here is more on the violence raging in Portland.
As protests continue to roar, 22 people were arrested and are
facing federal charges for their roles in the riots that took place
over the weekend at the federal courthouse in downtown
Portland.
City officials claim that these protests start out peaceful, for
the most part, but then turn violent as the night went on. On
Monday, Oregon’s U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams said that he is
urging peaceful demonstrators to leave the area before other
protesters start to get violent and throw fireworks and other
harmful objects at officers.
22 people have been arrested
and are facing federal charges for their roles in weekend protests
at the Hatfield Courthouse in Portland. Read more: https://t.co/gmLGzUZxhB
#portland
#federalcourt— U.S. Attorney Oregon (@USAO_OR)
July 28, 2020
According to
Oregon Live, Williams said that he remains alarmed by the
amount of violence that is continuing to happen outside the federal
courthouse in downtown Portland.
He said in a statement:
“This nightly violence cannot continue. It is
absolutely destroying the soul of our city.â€
Williams said that the federal officers will stay in Portland
for as long as people continue to damage the Mark O. Hatfield
Federal Courthouse.
He said:
“We must defend this building and the institution of
justice that it represents. We are not leaving the building
unprotected to let it be destroyed by people intent on doing
so.â€
“We’re not
leaving.â€#Oregon’s
US Attorney Billy J. Williams says the federal government will not
abandon any of the federal buildings in
#Portland amid weeks of
#Riots and attacks on federal property. https://t.co/lVzUPRKfpm— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes)
July 28, 2020
Williams said he supports peaceful protests, but he does not
condone the actions of a core of rioters who set fires, throw
fireworks, bottles, and other harmful objects at officers. He urges
his community members to also not condone this behavior.
He said:
“We are in the midst of historic civil unrest due to
generations of racial injustice and the tragic murder of George
Floyd. Nightly violence directed at the federal courthouse and
other federal facilities does nothing but hijack peaceful
protesters’ original message. It is criminal and it has to
stop.â€
#NEW:
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon says 22 people have
been arrested and are facing federal charges for their roles in
weekend protests at the Hatfield Courthouse in Portland. pic.twitter.com/mTpwmY9KYP— Jennifer Franco (@jennfranconews)
July 28, 2020
According to
Fox News, out of the 22 protesters arrested this past weekend,
six of them have been charged for alleged criminal conduct during a
protest that began Thursday last week and extended into early next
morning.
Included in those arrests are:
Carly Anne Ballard, 34 and David Michael Bouchard, 36, both were
charged with assaulting federal officers. Josslynn Kreutz, 28,
Dakota Eastman, 30, Ezra Meyers, 18, and Mark Rolycanov, 28 were
all charged with failing to obey lawful orders.
Eight other people were charged for alleged criminal conduct
during a protest beginning on Saturday and continuing into early
Sunday morning.
Included in those arrests are:
Rebecca Gonzalez-Morta, 37, Stephen O’Donnell, 65, Thomas
Johnson, 33, Nathan Oderdonk-Snow, 21, Joshua Webb 22, Pablo
Avvacato, 26, and Doug Dean, 34 were all charged with assaulting
federal officers. Richard Lindstet, 33 was charged with operating a
drone in restricted airspace.
Seven additional people were charged for alleged criminal
conduct during a protest on Sunday night into Monday morning.
Included in those arrests are:
Michael Stephenson, 23, Caleb Willis, 29, Noelle Mandolfo, 30,
Travis Williams, 27, Patrick Stanford (age unknown), Coree Jefree
(age unknown), and Tyler Gabriel, 22 were all charged with
assaulting federal officers.
In addition, federal law enforcement, including agents from
Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, arrested Ronald..
