Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile)

First gassing at the intersection of 3rd and Main. Two fireworks retort. Another canister. The sound of leaf blowers

Unlawful assembly declared. More gas, obviously

There's a strong wind tonight and the gas is everywhere Retreating up the street

Ok. I have adjusted my goggles so they're uncomfortably tight and rigged a bottom strap for my mask. I feel claustrophobic so that means I've probably done it right A lot of the crowd seems to be making themselves comfortable between 4th and 5th street, but many head back

If the feds wanted the protesters to not fuck with their fence, they're doing it wrong. This crowd, which--and I cannot state this enough--was almost docile before they started their aggression, is pounding on the fence

I love that "Turn Down for What?" by Lil Jon has become a protest staple at this point

The fed line has retreated for now. I'm sure they'll be back soon. Randomly. Whenever they decide to

Mom bloc--and i say this with love--has left. That's ok. Them showing up at the beginning is enough. We'll see them tomorrow The people who are left? All the "punks" the Portland Protest Bureau accuses of antagonizing the police and running The ones willing to eat gas all night

I'm sorry my mistake: MOM BLOC IS STILL HERE God I love you Portlandhttps://twitter.com/shitnataliesays/status/1287280238540361728?s=19 …

Another warning. Unlawful assembly. Yawn A firework interrupts the speech. Cheers

I make my way to the intersection of 3rd and Salmon, where the crowd is enormous and cameras bristle. This is the only well-lit area of the entire street The desire to be seen: not for clout but because the eyes of the world are our only real defense against these ghouls

As if listening to my inner monologue, a single lamp lights in the middle of the street

The feds deliver another one of their arbitrary warnings. I guess it's nice of them to let us know they're thinking of paying us a visit

In the beginning we would have been chanting names. And I don't think it's that we've lost focus. It's that our focus has changed from conveying a message with our voices to asserting our rights with our bodies. Braced for the next fight. All our concentration there

A protester who must be at least half-spider manages to climb the fence. Hangs out at the top for a moment, and then an enormous boom echoes out A firework. Thank God. The protester drops back down

It's wild that this crowd has barely thinned, if at all. 1AM and still thousands of people here

And just like that: gas. Without hesitation leaf blowers move in from all directions, converge on the cloud, and get to work "Thank you leaf blowers!" someone shouts. The crowd applauds

More gas, obviously, why not, it's that time No sign of actual fed emergence yet

Protesters feed the fire with branches and empty pizza boxes. The crowd creates a wide birth around this gas magnet

Holy shit They came out in force. I got about 4 minutes of great footage before I got lit up with about six pepper balls. My chest, my wrjstz and worst of all several in the face. I was completely incapacitated. Two medics saved my ass