Still, Battle at Seattle: “whose streets? Our streets!” Portland has a “sacred fence”

There still are protests with violent activity still motivated by police action. In this case, Seattle Washington and Portland Oregon, where Trumpist sentiment prevails in their police forces. They think the use of force will pacify an urban population that does not see itself as being occupied, as though resistance was not as diverse as the population. As has been identified elsewhere, some Oregon police actually are willing to preemptively warn RW instigators to get out of the way.

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Despite @SeattlePD’s show of violence, #seattleprotest has remained non-violent even though @SeattlePD refuses to deescalate. They took a closer position to the front line of protestors.

— cpuguy83 (@cpuguy83) June 7, 2020

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BREAKING: @SeattlePD using flash bangs to disperse crowd, people throwing things at officers. A piece of one of those bangs just hit my leg. This is quickly getting out of hand. Protesters hadn’t thrown or done anything it seems to provoke this #KOMONews pic.twitter.com/HXCuIAqNyb

— Cole Miller (@ColeMillerTV) June 7, 2020

• Some kind of gas is also being used. I tried getting another video but got a big whif of it #KOMONews

• Officers continue pushing us back. Appears as though some people may be getting detained, really hard to tell in this chaos. Lots of people complaining of breathing in gas, having trouble seeing #KOMONews

• Another look at what we’re seeing right now. Lots of gas being used. Pepper balls it appears also being used. Flash bangs were also used to clear 11th. We’re all the way past 10th now as officers continue moving towards the group #KOMONews

• Lots of saline solution and milk being used to ease the pain and sting of the gas. Some people are throwing water bottles at officers as many others plea with them to stop. Officers continue with the flash bangs and gas #KOMONews

• We’ve been pushed back all the way to Broadway. At the end of this clip, you may hear people screaming for medics. A woman is down and appears to have been hit with a large dose of gas #KOMONews

• At Broadway, people continue to have their eyes treated, continue coughing. The crowd moved to let this street car pass through #KOMONews

• A protest first for me – as the crowd moves forward, police move back. They’ve advanced a few feet now, curious if they’ll get back to 11th. An armored vehicle remains parked in the middle of the street #KOMONews

• This crowd continues to push back towards its original spot, lots of clapping and cheers among the slow steps. Chants of “whose streets? Our streets!” and “who do you serve?” also fill the air #KOMONews

• At somewhat of a standstill now at 10th with a look at the sizable law enforcement presence #KOMONews

• Hey, @SeattlePD – can you confirm if some kind of gas was used this evening at the protest near Cal Anderson? Was it an irritant of some other kind? We saw canisters releasing smoke at one point #KOMONews

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hey @MayorJenny what the fuck #seattleprotests pic.twitter.com/Q0JlKiHMsC

— a simple twink (@fuchstraumer) June 7, 2020

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I'm downtown, where the Sacred Fence has been substantially reinforced. pic.twitter.com/B7FaeyyZrW

— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@IwriteOK) June 7, 2020

Interestingly enough, the police appear to have pulled back from their outer courtyard, perhaps to avoid getting water bottles and empty cans of beans thrown at themselves. I suspect the mental strain of having thousands of people express their anger might be a factor too.

The infastructure out here continues to expand nightly.

The Police are holding up at the top of the building, and probably in a few other areas I cannot see. Since Ted Wheeler said 'no more tear gas' today, my guess is that the police plan to shoot people's faces with projectile munitions.

• Here is a zoomed in look at the folks on the roof. Activists are intermittently trolling them with projectors.

• One individual climbs on the fence. The police get angry at this. The crowd shouts down their loudspeaker and shakes the Sacred Fence. The police fire a trio of pepper balls into the crowd.

• The crowd chants: “Stay together, stay tight. We do this every night.” Every police announcement is shouted down by the thousands here.

• Here is that video:

• The Police tell people not to fuck with the fence. They are heckled relentlessly, and vape smoke plumes are blown into the empty courtyard beyond the sacred fence.

• Goddammit I keep forgetting to attach.

• Remember! Things are different now.

• People chant “tear it down!” As you can see, the additions to the fence were not particularly well made. It already seems to be falling apart.

• These are the papers some protesters have been throwing over the Sacred Fence.

Police have moved forces up near 3rd and Main. Things might be kicking off soon.

• People are really vaping the shit out of this fence. A “fuck your fence” chant starts up.

• The Portland Police Bureau have started livestreaming. Lmk if you want some tips.

• The PPB begs the crowd not to toss animal feed over the fence, which is a thing that is happening. The crowd chants its response: “Shut the fuck up.”
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  Someone is throwing what I assume is animal feed over the fence at Portland police. Crowd is oinking pic.twitter.com/yNVkFFDqFp

  — Zane Sparling (@PDXzane) June 7, 2020

• A large segment of the crowd has whipped out homemade mirrors to shine the police spotlights back at them.

• Officers are occasionally visible on the roof, as activists illuminate them with reflected mirror light and, occasionally, lasers

• Police are back in the courtyard over on the SW Madison side of things too.