Thread by @AlissaAzar

Speaker just told the musicians in the crowd to get ready and start writing protest CHRISTMAS JINGLES and I’m really excited for this. Hey portland, what’s good 🙃

Whose lives matter?
BLACK LIVES MATTER!
Who else’s lives matter?
INDIGENOUS LIVES MATTER!
🔈 🔊

“Out of the bars! Into the streets!”

Wow they are SO organized. This march is really cool. Everyone is on the same page with the commands and hand signals it’s amazing

So they also do REALLY well at “stay together stay tight”
Everyone is marching pretty slowly. The person leading the march told the front liners and shield wall to remember that they set the pace for the whole thing. It conserves energy for when it matters too

Parking meters are Saran wrapped because parking is not something people should have to pay for

“I don’t see shit! I don’t know shit!”

The speaker addressed the crowd during the march telling everyone to make a hole for the city. They said “we need to let them know we respect them. But fuck the bus fare! When I say FCAB you say Fare Cops Are Bastards!
FCAB!
Fare cops are bastards!”

Police have moved in

We’re being kettled already

Just got shot with a pepper bullet on the back of my neck. They’re now sweeping the park

Person they arrested is crying from the pain. They’re using a lot of mace

Earlier the bike cops were pushing me. Other cops with weapons came in behind me and I didn’t see. Someone with an umbrella grabbed my backpack and shielded my face from a can full of mace. Later when escaping the cops everyone held onto someone. Someone even grabbed my bag

again and held on and said “don’t worry we stay together here”

Soup... for my family

From earlier. The bloc here is amazing

Shield wall tonight in Seattle

From what I’m hearing (and seeing) protesters who aren’t into DA do their own events and other events that are DA are... well, DA. Everyone is prepared and seem to be aligned. Organizers still respect each other and a diversity of tactics. Seems to help infighting.

They are strategic with their chanting (or lack thereof) too...

I don’t think they like cops

“We protect people! You protect property!”

Cops here chant “move! Back!” At protesters. They chant it back to the cops and it’s amazing

East precinct

An observation... I only ever hear or see “antifa” being used in a joking way in Portland. Here I’ve seen it tagged as well as heard it in chants.

Marched away and small break now... they called everyone to come in close to have a community discussion about something important before moving along. This is incredible to witness. Something happened, they addressed it to the group to work on and brainstorm together.

Ok. So, the organization and communication and respect for one another is incredible and makes a huge difference. There is no infighting or aggression towards one another, there is a purpose to every action taken and even with small numbers they’re still able to accomplish a lot

There wasn’t an issue with peace policing or swooping because the events are separate. Again, DA is DA and peace Policing style protests tend to be separate events. Everyone really looks out for one another too. They don’t let one person ‘DA’ alone and use what they have to help

Everyone and shield and protect people as best as they can.

Ugh. Even when they took a pause and held space in the streets a few times everyone stayed together and sat in the street ALL together. There was still a purpose. It was great to see

ACAB. all cats are beautiful

In Arabic “Neko” means something VERY different.

Also, that’s a wrap! They started and ended early but damn do they go hard. I’m seriously so impressed and crushing on all of Seattle bloc 🖤🥰

So the DA thing from earlier... people would individually and autonomously engage in DA and almost immediately people would rush over to help and protect. The protection I saw was in all ways possible. I still can’t believe someone shielded me from mace with their umbrella and

how much everyone held onto one another. Not a single person was alone and not held onto. Aside from staying together they also abided by “walk don’t run.” Even when the cops were rushing in no one was left behind. I think the cops here are scared of this. When they would

chant “move back” back to the cops it worked? It happened at least 3 times and the bicycle cops rode off and retreated. They’re also really brave 😳 they scared the cops off a few times and they got right up on the car. A community that strong and tight has to be intimidating

Blurry pic of the umbrella hero I got

Some Saran wrapped parking meters because PARKING SHOULD BE FREE. so should public transport FYI.

Abolish SPD

Seattle 🥺

https://twitter.com/_whatriot/status/1312822489110568960

Looks like we’re staying one more night ☔️ ☂