U.S. Protests - There's Something Happening Here

[Artistic Skaters]

There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
C'mon talk to me
So you can see
What's going on

The articles about the protests are spilling over into several threads, so here's one we can use to collectively share updates.

Moms to the rescue! (aka how many Trump secret police does it take to teargas Mama?):

'Wall of moms' at Portland protest formed to protect demonstrators

A group of women formed a sort of human shield dubbed the "wall of moms" at a protest outside a federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, on Sunday.

www.usatoday.com

Brutality for all. US Naval Academy graduate and veteran not exempt from baton beating during peaceful protesting:

Portland protests: Man shown absorbing police baton blows in viral video says he just wanted to talk to federal officers

A video taken Zane Sparling, a reporter with the Portland Tribune, shows Chris David, 53, hit by an officer and then pepper sprayed by another.

www.oregonlive.com

 

[Artistic Skaters]

balletmaus updated this in the DT thread earlier:

DHS is getting ready to deploy agents to Chicago. Trump also wants to send them to New York and Philadelphia. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...a42b8a-caaa-11ea-89ce-ac7d5e4a5a38_story.html

I posted this article from The Nation in another thread, but also wanted to share it again here. It shows how DT will use technicalities to send federal law enforcement to cities like he did in Portland:

The Border Patrol Was Responsible for an Arrest in Portland

An internal memo, obtained exclusively by The Nation, details a coordinated program of domestic counterinsurgency.

www.thenation.com

 

[Artistic Skaters]

The Lincoln Project now has a new video addressing Trump's use of federal law enforcement in cities:

HOW IT STARTS - The Lincoln Project

Portland is how it starts.

lincolnproject.us

 

[MacMadame]

The Lincoln Project now has a new video addressing Trump's use of federal law enforcement in cities:

HOW IT STARTS - The Lincoln Project

Portland is how it starts.

lincolnproject.us

I wonder how that plays with conservatives.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

In the "good old days of protesting" GOPs were on the side of state rights and clearly that line has been crossed. But it's hard to figure out with the new GOP that constantly allows Trump to cross any lines he wants and only be challenged by Rand Paul.

 

[demetriosj]

Vigilantes hijack protest, ambush cops in Chicago

Video Shows Coordinated ‘Ambush’ On Police At Columbus Statue With ‘Vigilantes’ Throwing Bottles, Fireworks, Sharpened PVC, Officials Say

This story has been updated with a response from GoodKids MadCity. CHICAGO — “Vigilantes” planned an “ambush” of police officers, leading to violence among activists and police at what was supposed to be a peaceful protest Friday in Grant Park, officials said Monday. The city’s top cop claimed...

blockclubchicago.org

 

[once_upon]

Joanie Ernst is incorporating the riots and need for "law and order" and getting our businesses back from anarchists in her political ads.

 

[Cachoo]

Facists!

 

[BlueRidge]

In case anyone isn't clear what all this is about, Juan Cole is very clear in this column:

Trump's Cynical and Deeply Dangerous Reelection Ploy: Sow Chaos in US Cities (Common Dreams)

Part of Trump’s reelection strategy is to scare the white suburbs, which polls show have soured on him, with “urban” (read: minority) violence. This is clear from his current campaign ads, which try to paint the gentlemanly Joe Biden as a bomb thrower.

It now appears clear that part of that strategy is to send Federal agents dressed like Iraq War troops to Democratic-run cities, on the pretext of protecting Federal property, and then for them to attack and provoke Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police protesters, causing violence to escalate and using it … to scare the suburbs. The exercise also has the advantage for Trump of entrenching a new form of secret police and of turning Federal agents into instruments of his authoritarianism. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has confirmed the plan to send the Feds into those cities.

It now appears clear that part of that strategy is to send Federal agents dressed like Iraq War troops to Democratic-run cities, on the pretext of protecting Federal property, and then for them to attack and provoke Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police protesters, causing violence to escalate and using it … to scare the suburbs.

Provoking social conflict so as to polarize society was part of the Russian hacker playbook in 2016. It is the preferred tactic of terrorist groups such as ISIL and the Neo-Nazis, since a polarized society is much easier to scare into submission.

 

[pollyanna]

In case anyone isn't clear what all this is about, Juan Cole is very clear in this column:

Trump's Cynical and Deeply Dangerous Reelection Ploy: Sow Chaos in US Cities (Common Dreams)

That's scary if Trump can succeed.

 

[genevieve]

In terms of the sustained BLM protests happening around the US, I've never been both so proud of and appalled by my country.

 

[BlueRidge]

That's scary if Trump can succeed.

I doubt he can succeed in scaring voters to support him but if he keeps escalating things can go very bad.

Trump can win voters by seriously and successfully dealing with ********. But he is incapable of that. He does not even understand what is happening in this country, what a ********* is, let alone how to provide sustained leadership on a crisis.

So he will resort to the worst options.

 

[BlueRidge]

Question for anyone: do we have any FSU posters who live in Portland? I'm really sick of hearing the White House make idiotic claims about "violence, chaos and anarchy in Portland," as McNinny did this morning.

FTR, back in June there were NO riots in Washington DC. There were some broken windows and some opportunistic looting. No one should be picking up this administration's exaggerated, false depictions of the protests.

 

[demetriosj]

Question for anyone: do we have any FSU posters who live in Portland? I'm really sick of hearing the White House make idiotic claims about "violence, chaos and anarchy in Portland," as McNinny did this mornin

If you don't live in Portland, how can you be so sure these are "idiotic" claims?

 

[CaliSteve]

Joanie Ernst is incorporating the riots and need for "law and order" and getting our businesses back from anarchists in her political ads.

Joanie Ernst knows better but she pandering to the trumpturds.

 

[DORISPULASKI]

The wall of Moms works.

This deal of Trump's is for extended photo ops. So the front row of protestors should make as inoffensive, even silly an appearance as possible. People in Donald Duck and Minnie Mouse costumes. Pussy hats. Anything that looks too silly to gas or attack with soldiers.

 

[Dobre]

Question for anyone: do we have any FSU posters who live in Portland? I'm really sick of hearing the White House make idiotic claims about "violence, chaos and anarchy in Portland," as McNinny did this morning.

I don't live in Portland so I definitely can't give you an eyewitness anything. My aunt lives in downtown Portland. She feels safe enough. (Well, safe enough with the exception of the *****, which she is taking very seriously). Or at least she felt safe enough staying at her home in Portland as of when I last saw her, which was the week before the 4th of July. (Even when the protests first started, she wasn't concerned about staying there. More concerned about her daughter who is in L.A.) Her main complaint when I saw her a couple weeks ago was that protesters are peeing in bottles & leaving them lying there.

Ick!

My friends from the Portland area that are in my facebook feed are pretty furious about the federal tactics being used now. There are Oregon posters from the rural east side of the state that are supportive of the feds coming in and ending destruction, but none of them live near Portland and probably haven't been there since any of this began.

My take (which is only my take):
The Oregon government stepped up & passed a bunch of stuff in support of the BLM movement. The Portland police chief, who was a woman, stepped down and Lovell, who is a black man, took over. I think, generally speaking, that most people aren't fans of endless protesting without clear goals and were probably ready for things to burn out. I also think a lot of people are supportive of their local police forces, and that they are not supportive of police forces using violence unfairly at the expense of anyone's life or safety. (Which has sometimes happened in Portland). I don't know anyone here who is a fan of the destruction of property or statues. (Mind you, I don't know of any Confederate statues here). And I think most people are probably furious that federal forces are overstepping their role (which was supposed to be 100% behind the scenes desk support & directing traffic) and was never supposed to include Homeland Security or ICE. Not to mention furious that these forces are using dirty tactics. And most likely reinflaming a conflict that most had hoped was on its way out. I think people are supportive of the BLM movement and local law enforcement and both finding a way to coexist peacefully.

 

[genevieve]

The national coverage of Portland is similar to what herbed last moth with Seattle’s CHAZ/CHOP. From what I saw last night the evening protests are even larger (go PDX!) but for many rose city residents its business as usual.

Caveat: I’m not in PDX but have many friends there who say the above, and have been watching local independent streaming journalists covering the protests.

 

[PrincessLeppard]

The hilarious part of the Trump ads saying, "If Biden is elected, things will get nuts," is that the footage is WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING UNDER TRUMP RIGHT NOW.

Robert Evans (@iwriteok on Twitter) live streams from Portland almost every night.

 

[Spikefan]

I also saw a suggestion for the frontline protesters to be dressed up and holding the American flag. Not a good look when flag waving Americans are being assailed by unnamed militants.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

Felony charges filed against Detroit police officer for unprovoked firing of rubber bullets at journalists on empty street:

Detroit Officer Charged Over Journalists Being Shot With Rubber Pellets

Prosecutors accuse Cpl. Daniel Debono of firing the nonlethal rounds at the three photographers, all of whom were covering anti-racism protests. Debono faces three counts of felonious assault.

www.npr.org

 

[MacMadame]

The wall of Moms works.

They got tear-gassed though.

 

[DORISPULASKI]

Yes they did.

And they came back the next night too.

 

[Andora]

I also saw a suggestion for the frontline protesters to be dressed up and holding the American flag. Not a good look when flag waving Americans are being assailed by unnamed militants.

That's... brilliant. I hope many protesters consider it, or tactics similar.

Some people insist on forgetting that the protesters are still civilians who want better for their country.

Yes they did.

And they came back the next night too.

Thankfully, some moms are bad ass. That level of courage and tenacity is inspiring.

 

[Dobre]

Why is Donald Trump using little green men in American cities?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/07/22/why-is-donald-trump-using-little-green-men-american-cities/

Esper concerned over federal agents dressed like military troops in U.S. cities

Esper concerned over federal agents dressed like military troops in U.S. cities

Images of federal agents in Portland this week echoed June's protests, when law enforcement used violence against mostly peaceful protesters.

www.politico.com

 

[BittyBug]

I am in awe of the Wall of Moms.

 

[alexikeguchi]

Esper concerned over federal agents dressed like military troops in U.S. cities

Esper concerned over federal agents dressed like military troops in U.S. cities

Images of federal agents in Portland this week echoed June's protests, when law enforcement used violence against mostly peaceful protesters.

www.politico.com

Yes, but is he as concerned as Susan Collins yet?

 

[Cachoo]

I am in awe of the Wall of Moms.

Yeah this headline does not bode well for our mystery troops:
‘What choice do we have?’: Portland’s ‘Wall of Moms’ faces off with federal officers at tense protests

 

[BittyBug]

WaPo has a clip with a few of them. Lucid, articulate and fully in touch with the Constitution.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/national/we-are-here-to-lend-our-bodies-hear-from-moms-on-the-front-lines-of-portland-protests/2020/07/22/3c54e8b0-a547-44f6-acef-68225418bfcf_video.html

 

[ribbon]

I too think it would be awesome if protestors held little American flags. After all, Trump doesn’t own the flag and yet goes on and on about how he loves it. It would be a real dilemma optics-wise.

I also think it would be hilarious if the queer community could somehow make the Q flag their own.