Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile)

A couple protesters bang on the fence with trash can lids. Gentle, harmless, makes a lot of noise Good way to test the waters

There's a speaker but unfortunately their megaphone isn't very good and my hearing, as established earlier, has not been improved over the last two months The street in front of the District Courthouse remains packed

I've moved closer and can now hear this Black activist talking about how officers have families too, how not all of them are bad Another Black activist with a megaphone pushes back against this. A battle of words. A chant of "black lives matter"

The crowd in Portland is, as always, largely white. There's that familiar freeze as the audience is unsure what to do A chant of Black Lives Matter shifts into a chant of "let her talk" Cameras battle to capture these activists arguing

These battles for the narrative aren't surprising. Black people aren't a monolith. There are a wide variety of opinions. Yet I often see tremendous pressure for a united black voice to speak back to the system It's a horrible bind

The activist is arguing that police are necessary to keep her safe There are arguments that could address this point but I don't think anyone is making them. They're mostly sort of giving her a wide birth

A car engine revs loudly and protesters jump to the sidewalk. It's nothing, but the instinct is ingrained at this point

Crowd starting to thin out slightly. Still lots of people here If the police don't escalate, I predict a very mellow night. Portland is tired, y'all. We've been going all out for so long. I don't think anyone is looking to antagonize the cops tonight

This is not exactly must-hear news but a couple of protesters are very sweetly making out and I think that's nice and I hope it makes you happy too

A black activist talks about the inportance of continuing this fight for as long as necessary: "another 400 years if we have to!" "Are we gonna pack up and go just because the feds are gone?! Hell no!!"

He talks about PTSD. About jumping when he hears leaf blowers. About our shared trauma and our strength

He talks about being part of that statistics: 1 of 3 black men have been to jail and he's one of them "The systematic oppression has to stop!"

He then goes on to say that this is supposed to be peaceful, that anything that isn't peaceful isn't about black lives, it's just a sideshow "no it isn't!" a quiet, solitary voice retorts

Protesters throwing a few bottles over the fence. Somehow the cement courthouse continues to stand despite this onslaught

A roof cop has been spotted in the District Courthouse. Protesters chant: "Jump!" This is the first cop/fed presence we've seen all night

Small newspaper fire in the street. Can't get a picture without the firestarters in it so just...I mean it's 2020. You know what a street fire looks like Chant: "Every City! Every town! Burn that precinct to the ground!"

Mostly I think the fire is a hit cuz it's weirdly cold out here

Someone burns a flag against the fence An activist accuses protesters of trying to burn the building down, says it isn't about black lives matter, and tells the protesters to grow up

Can we talk about this narrative where people think protesters are trying to destroy the courthouse? The District Courthouse is a brutalist monstrosity made entirely of concrete We'd need to go full Fight Club to even touch this I promise you, the building is fine

An activist is angry about the flag burning. "What the fuck does that have to do with Black Lives Matter?! Nothing! Stop burning shit!!"

The situation is, I think, that people are terrified of escalation. Of Trump following through on that National Guard shit It's a rational fear Its important, though, not to allow fear of violence to quell a movement

The protest is thinning out and getting more raucus. More small fires. I hear a firework. Banging The moms have left

Protesters banging on the garage door behind the District Courthouse. No sign of activity

An activist comes up furious. "How does this save my life?! Answer me!! Are you a person of color?! They're gonna shot me first! Who led you over here to do this?"