Thread by @IwriteOK

It is a lovely gray Saturday in Portland and I am on my way to what was a scheduled KKK rally. Back in January local Grand Wizard or some such stupid title Steven Howard announced a gathering in this all caps message.

Pop Mob (Popular Mobilization) a local antifascist org, planned a large dance party as a counter action.

As of right now I am hearing that the KKK has called off their rally. Possibly because no one was going to show. Possibly as a distraction.

Local antifascists report extreme concern that groups of right wing demonstrators, including some of the folks behind the Cider Riot attack last may, might wind up patrolling around and attacking people.

My hope is that this will be a boring day and thread.

Wow! This is a sizable gathering for February. Looks like 200ish people here so far. Banana Bloc is front and center providing a musical backing to the whole affair.

Banana Bloc serves the dual purposes of spectacle (drawing attention) and deescalation (by being ridiculous). Black bloc wait nearby to offer physical protection in the event of violence.

There are a number of different groups involved in any rally of this size.

A large contingent of DSA marchers just arrived. More than a hundred of them for sure. This is turning into quite the event

I would describe the current atmosphere as "carnivalesque". This is really so much larger than I had anticipated. Zero Klan in attendance so far.

A small number of police formed up at 3rd and main. But they pulled back into the justice center. Black bloc assembled on the corner to yell at them a bit provide a physical barricade.

About a dozen officers in what I would describe as medium gear are holding position at the doors to the justice center, catty corner from the square where the protest has assembled.

Another dozen or so officers, a rapid reaction force, wait on the other side of the building.

A unit of bike cops have ridden up and are now beginning to circle the square.

Black bloc continues to move to position themselves between police and the gathering.

A Chicago Union (DC14) has shown up in solidarity.

This evolved quickly.

Antifa have silly string. Police are claiming things have been thrown and umbrellas have been used as weapons.

I HAVE SEEN ZERO EVIDENCE OF THIS. There has been no violence today.

Welp, scratch the no throwing things bit. A member of Patriot Prayer showed up to film. Antifa chased him off and tossed eggs. He retreated to the justice center with cops.

Eli Richey, a local "cop watcher" and frequent attendee at these demos showed up and was silly stringed by antifascists.

Richey has been a number of times for stalking. He has a history of harassing folks at these gatherings.

oregonlive.com/portland/2019/…

Brandon Farley, who recently called on Atomwaffen to go after local antifascists, showed up. This is members of black bloc chasing him oft into a construction site.

Farley is holding back with the police.

Here is earlier footage of Eli doing the same. Both occasionally venturing out and being chased off and then hiding with the police. It almost looks planned. These two are some of the most hated "citizen journalists" in Portland and tempers are high.

Police seem to be allowing Farley to engage. Antifascists are shouting at him but nothing more.

Police backup arrived and black bloc pulled away. Farley shouted "I brought back up."

Now that black bloc is gone other antifascists, sans mask, wielding a bubble wrap screen, have focused their efforts on blocking his camera.

One antifascist in red says he is "holding the perimeter". It does seem as if this strategy has worked. With bloc gone the police are holding back and the few activists remaining have succeeded in keeping Farley away from the gathering.

Another right wing demonstrator showed up and began threatening people with mace. He sprays someone in this video.

He sprays again here but he is chased off as the police arrive.

It should be noticed that he maced almost as many police as antifascists.

Another confrontation with a right wing videographer, Brandon Brown. This is another guy with a lot of history here. He and some activists have a shoving match and he is pushed back to the police lines by umbrella. One antifascist throws a tiny bottle at his back.

So far we are seeing individual right wing activists and videographers show up in the rally and be chased off by antifascist to the police lines. I have watched it happen 4-5 times so far. Police are staying back and providing them a place to retreat to but not interfering.

Inside the square the gathering goes on. I am being told that pizza is showing up in ten minutes and the event will disperse after that. We will see.

Brandon Farley has apparently been arrested and there was much rejoicing. I don't know why yet. Possibly got disobeying traffic laws.

I missed the arrest. Here is where it happened. Antifascists around me are openly saying they think police might be busting people for breaking traffic laws as a way to stop the games of chicken we have seen today.

I for one will avoid jaywalking.

I just saw footage of the arrest but not the inciting incident. It looks like he was calling out to people and inciting a fight but I can't say for sure. Footage i saw was taken by the wonderful @econbrkfst so be sure to follow him for updates.

It is possible (perhaps most likely) that Farley was arrested on a warrant. Yesterday he illegally filmed a jury so that might well be it. If so, bad call to show up today.

Police moved in close, at bike on first. Antifascists rush to the edge of the square and throw eggs, apples. Riot cops advance. Police pull back. Situation tense

Police pulled back to the justice center. Antifascists followed. One bottle and a number of eggs throws.

Portland police just demanded activists stop throwing things. The crowd responded by throwing things. They say the event will be declared unlawful if people continue.

Incredibly good time to play 'Lean On Me', guy with boombox. The crowd responds. Throwing of objects has ceased for now.

A sizable number of the police have pulled back. More fruit is thrown along with some water.

Police called out that "there are individuals in the crowd throwing oranges" and demand it stop. Next they warn other people in the square that folks are committing crimes and they should be aware.

Inside the square things have thinned out a small amount.

We have another argument here. Someone defending the police. Lots of yelling. One person shoving. Several people trying to deescalate.

Vinicuz, a patriot prayer member, shows up. Notice how activists shout to provide him with an exit as they push him back. Some individuals throw oranges while Luis, a veteran activist, attempts to deescalate, control the crowd and push Vinny back.

The police have been extremely hands off so far today. I'm only aware of one arrest. Some incredibly tense moments but the most violence I've seen has been the mace deployment.

Back at the square the demonstration is mostly centered around Salmon and 3rd. Police are still holding back.

A guy charges out of a local VR business and gesturing as if he wants to fight Luis, who is across the street.

A minor dance party begins, but Luis convinces everyone to return to the square.

Someone has deployed a tiny firework.

And another, this one in a cup. An activist angrily yells "why? Why? Don't throw that shit!"

The paper in it has ignited, providing out of town reporters with their shot for the day.

One member of the Bloc puts the fire out. People thank him.

The demonstration has mostly petered out. Some younger activists are spray painting graffiti. Bike cops may be coming.

Police rushed into the square and arrested a demonstrator. I did not see what provoked it, although the graffiti was what brought the cops in. This makes two arrests today, one demonstrator and Brandon Farley.

A situation is developing while they search the arrested man's gear. Most people who were at the Square say the arrested person was not spray painting.

For more information: the defaced statue is dedicated to the dead of the Spanish American War. The base reads "First in Guam" and "First in the Phillippines". The U.S. campaign in the Phillippines was one of the most violent chapters of American colonial history.

A few activists have returned to heckle the police, who are gathering forensic evidence about the spraypainting.

It is interesting to me they the police did not intervene directly today until a statue was spraypainted.

Vinicuz decided to show up again. An activist with a drum is banging his heart out to drown out his speech.

This is important. AS SOON AS Vinicuz showed up and was surrounded, the police pulled back. It is hard to see this as anything but a direct statement that they will not engage to protect right wing activists who rush into the crowd to piss people off.

Vinicuz is pushed back and the police redeploy to the edge of the square to provide him with a path of retreat. But they do not interfere with the confrontation.

I have NEVER seen this before at an event. The police pulled Vinicuz out of the rally and seem to have requested he leave. And he left.

I think we are done for the day. This has been fascinating to watch. If this is a precursor of things to come I am tentatively optimistic about the summer. That said, a lot of tense moments today could have ended badly. Perhaps they will in the heat.