Oregon Rep. Janelle Bynum, shorty after a Clackamas deputy showed up to investigate her suspicious behavior. Aka canvassing for reelection.
Oregon Rep. Janelle Bynum, shorty after a Clackamas deputy showed up to investigate her "suspicious" behavior. AKA canvassing for reelection. Janelle Bynum

Good morning, Portland! How did you spend your weird mid-week Fourth of July? Therese Patricia Okoumou, a Congolese immigrant, spent it climbing the Statue of Liberty to protest child detention. Look at this incredible no-fucks-given pose:


Young Americans: And in Seattle, 500 immigrants from 80 different countries participated in a massive naturalization ceremony. Welcome, newbies! We're lucky to have you.

Fear and Loathing in Clackamas: On the eve of July 4, Oregon state Rep. Janelle Bynum, a Black Democrat running for re-election, was canvassing in her Clacakmas district when someone called the police on her for looking "suspicious." According to Bynum, the officer who showed up to investigate was friendly—they even took this great selfie together—buuuuut this is the America we live in.

You May Have Heard: Portland's home to a nonprofit that houses undocumented immigrant kids. We talked to some former employers about how it runs.

Cops of Campus: It's been nearly a week since 45-year-old Jason Washington was fatally shot by Portland State University campus police. The community's now waiting to see how PSU handles its first cop shooting after deciding to arm police in 2015.

On Thin ICE: Update from Occupy ICE: The protest outside of Portland's Immigration and Customs Enforcement building is headed toward its three-week mark. Protesters held a "Fourth of the Lie" rally yesterday outside the newly-reopened facility (which is now surrounded by industrial fencing.)


Justice for Poland: An unprecedented move by Poland's right-wing leaders to unseat nearly half of the country's Supreme Court justices has left the country in disarray. Thousands took to the streets yesterday to protest the overhaul, calling it a move toward an authoritarian government.

Leftover Poison? A British couple in Salisbury has allegedly been poisoned by the deadly Russian nerve agent Novichok. It's the same chemical that former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia came in contact with in Salisbury earlier this year. Detectives believe the poison was left over from this attack. The British couple remains in critical condition after the poisoning, which comes a week before a historic NATO summit.

Baby Steps: A Hong Kong court has granted visa rights to same-sex spouses of international employees working in the region. However, same-sex marriage is still outlawed in the city.