Need more context for what's going on in Portland right now? Here's what we know so far.
THREAD
THREAD
1/ Beginning a few days ago, first-hand reports of an unmarked, unidentified police force began emerging from protesters and civilians.
2/ Yesterday @OPB confirmed that this federal force, wearing camouflage with bold "POLICE" lettering on the front—but no badges or other identification—were "driving around the area in unmarked minivans grabbing people off the street."
opb.org/news/article/f…
opb.org/news/article/f…
3/ This force even refused to explain to those it was detaining why they were being detained or where they were being taken.
“It’s like stop and frisk meets Guantanamo Bay,” said attorney Juan Chavez, director of the civil rights project at the Oregon Justice Resource Center.
“It’s like stop and frisk meets Guantanamo Bay,” said attorney Juan Chavez, director of the civil rights project at the Oregon Justice Resource Center.
4/ Mark Pettibone was walking home from after a peaceful protest (well afterward, around 2am) when he was detained and put in a van. He believes he was targeted "for simply wearing black clothing in the area of the demonstration."
5/ Pettibone was blinded with his hat, driven around, & eventually "put into a cell. Soon after, two officers came in to read him his Miranda rights. They didn’t tell him why he was being arrested. He said they asked him if he wanted to waive his rights & answer some questions..
6/ "...but Pettibone declined and said he wanted a lawyer. The interview was terminated, and about 90 minutes later he was released. He said he did not receive any paperwork, citation or record of his arrest."
7/ “I just happened to be wearing black on a sidewalk in downtown Portland at the time,” Pettibone said. “And that apparently is grounds for detaining me.” opb.org/news/article/f…
8/ All of this was preceded by an incident on 7/12 in which federal officers shot Donavan LaBella, a 26-year-old protester, in the head with "less lethal" impact munitions.
TW: I'm putting the video in the next tweet.
opb.org/news/article/f…
TW: I'm putting the video in the next tweet.
opb.org/news/article/f…
9/ Video of Donavan LaBella after having been shot by federal officers.
11/ I'll include more of the gnarly stuff later on for the masochists in the room. But for now: who are these police? They're from the Department of Homeland Security.
koin.com/news/protests/…
koin.com/news/protests/…
12/ See the following tweet this morning from DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf
13/ The justification he provides is the apparent "lawlessness" in the city as demonstrated by...graffiti.
15/ Also: now is an important time to listen to 'It Could Happen Here,' a podcast that looks at the ingredients that could lead to a second American Civil War based on @IwriteOK's experience.
We're seeing these ideas play out in Portland in real time.
iheart.com/podcast/1119-i…
We're seeing these ideas play out in Portland in real time.
iheart.com/podcast/1119-i…
16/ @SethAbramson also has an excellent (terrifying) thread on how this action relates to "Barr's army" based on his research for the Proof books, as well as the more haunting prospect of Erik Prince's spy armies and privatized military forces.
17/ Note that these federal officers are actually in violation of their authorization in Oregon.
18/ Worse: this follows an early foot-in-the-water test by Barr in DC last month, in which heavily armed, unmarked officers stood in front of the White House, refusing to identify themselves.
politico.com/news/magazine/…
politico.com/news/magazine/…
19/ This alarmed many, including @SpeakerPelosi, who said that "officers operating with full anonymity undermines accountability, ignites government distrust and suspicion, and is counter to the principle of procedural justice and legitimacy...."
nytimes.com/2020/06/04/us/…
nytimes.com/2020/06/04/us/…
21/ What follows are some videos that depict what these unidentified DHS agents are doing in Portland:
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30/ This thread is focused on the federal agents, but if you want to see what state and local police are doing, I recommend this thread:
31/ This thread from @MrOlmos gives a chronological glimpse of what protesting was like yesterday—including violence and force from the federal agents.
34/ Chad Wolf is now attempting to reverse justify the use of a secret militarized police force because they were assaulted with lasers and water bottles.
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39/ Wow. Here’s the proof that Portland is merely a test case.
@kenklippenstein reveals in leaked docs that these federal agents will be deployed “indefinitely”—with drones “on standby to assist as needed.”
Truly chilling.
@kenklippenstein reveals in leaked docs that these federal agents will be deployed “indefinitely”—with drones “on standby to assist as needed.”
Truly chilling.
40/ The upshot here is that DHS and CBP can do whatever they want until and unless Congress steps in.
thenation.com/article/societ…
thenation.com/article/societ…
41/ Anybody find this unreasonable? Anybody?
42/ It happened again last night. Here’s a video from journalist @econbrkfst—it shows what a federally occupied major American city looks like: a war zone, rife with confusion.
43/ A lot more info/video in this thread from @MrOlmos
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45/ This is a high school paper 🔥
46/ The main issue last night is that Portland was covered in gas by federal agents.
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48/ This thread provides a progression of events last night
49/ omfg. yes.
50/ Wow. Mythic heroism.
51/ Someone give this person an award.
52/ The Oregon AG is suing you stop federal arrests of protesters. Time to see what America actually thinks of the 4th Amendment
53/ 👀👇
54/ 💰⤵️
55/ Homeland Security has restricted airspace over Portland through 8/16.
56/ Nothing like knowing the federal secret police aren’t even properly trained.
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59/ Portland is at it tonight—in force. See full thread from @IwriteOK
