What’s really happening in Portland? Check out scenes as protesters clash with feds
As protesters and police clashed on the streets of Portland on Thursday, cameras captured people using umbrellas and leaf blowers to help divert tear gas.
The dramatic videos emerged as demonstrations continued in some parts of Oregon’s most populous city.
Demonstrators have been gathering in Portland and other U.S. cities since the May 25 death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police. Portland’s protests have gained national attention after President Donald Trump last week ordered federal agents to the area, USA Today reported.
Footage from journalist Cory Elia of Village Portland shows someone aiming a leaf blower in the air to keep away clouds of tear gas. In one video posted to Twitter, people are shown raising open umbrellas.
“I tried to film this a minute ago without goggles like a big, big dummy and pepper ball juice sprayed into my eye,” the person wrote early Thursday.
But not all scenes have been so tense. Footage also emerged of people appearing to peacefully gather and hold signs.
“Protestors who are marching just stopped to take a moment of silence for all the victims of police brutality,” according to a tweet from the Clypian, the student newspaper at South Salem High School. “They are standing with their right fists in the air in solidarity.”
One protester on Facebook shared photos of a crowd she said remained “respectful and calm.” Streets away from the Justice Center, which has been a focus of clashes, she described hearing peaceful chants in support of Black Lives Matter and calling for federal officers to leave the city.
“It was business as usual,” the Facebook user wrote. “Open restaurants and bars had diners enjoying their meals outside. The food carts were open and serving. Traffic had no problems getting through.”
Many parts of the city have stayed quiet, with protests concentrated in a 12-block area and typically erupting at night, The Oregonian reported.
Across the country, people have been calling for justice for George Floyd and other Black people who died after encounters with police. In Floyd’s case, four officers were fired and face criminal charges.
In recent weeks, ”federal officers started playing a more obvious and active role during nightly protests” in Portland, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. On July 15, video posted to social media showed authorities emerging from unmarked vans, and a person in a separate encounter told OPB he was taken to a federal courthouse and searched.
Trump officials deployed agents to help guard a federal courthouse after Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler “ordered city police to scale back their confrontations with demonstrators,” The Oregonian reported.
On Thursday, protesters came face-to-face with Wheeler, according to video obtained by Storyful. One person is heard saying: “We’re all gonna get gassed as soon as you leave.”
The elected official was among the people federal police tear gassed on Thursday, footage from New York Times reporter Mike Baker shows.
This story was originally published July 23, 2020 at 10:47 AM.
