We need your help. The economic fallout of the coronavirus has threatened our ability to keep producing the Mercury. If you’re able, please consider donating to the Mercury.

Portland police during the June 6 protest.
Portland police during the June 6 protest. blair Stenvick

Good Morning, Portland! And Happy Queer Week!

Here are the headlines.

• Last night was the 19th consecutive night of protests against police brutality and racism in downtown Portland. Last night’s protest was a shift from previous nights for two reasons: The group that normally meets at Revolution Hall and marches around the eastside joined protesters downtown, and the Justice Center was down one of its two fences. What didn’t change was the officer’s response to protesters. After throwing a few bottles and other items over the remaining fence at officers, a crowd of 500 demonstrators were hit with rubber bullets and pepper balls. One person was hit in the head, and needed urgent medical attention. The night ended after a fire was ignited (and extinguished) in front of Chipotle and armored officers bum-rushed journalists, youth, and other demonstrators out of public spaces. Another night of cops inflicting terror in downtown Portland.

• Oregon saw a big spike of new COVID-19 cases yesterday, with 99 cases alone coming from sparsely populated Union County. It turns out many of those cases are linked to a church that recently hosted a testing clinic.

• If you’ve participated in any of the Portland protests in the last two and a half weeks, there’s a decent chance you’ve heard Lilith Sinclair’s voice through a megaphone. For Queer Week, I interviewed the activist about the current protests, the power that comes from working for abolition, and how being nonbinary shapes their activism.

• Scientists at the University of Oxford have identified a steroid—Dexamethasone— that reduced COVID-19 deaths by one third for patients using ventilators. It's the first drug shown to actually reduce coronavirus deaths, and per the BBC, it's old and "cheap-as-chips."

• Donald Trump is expected to unveil some police reform plans soon—but don't hold your breath for them to include anything meaningful. According to the Washington Post, they'll mostly be funds used for police officer training, which is something that's already been happening for years without any marked improvements.

• United States retail sales went up by nearly 18 percent last month—though they really didn't have anywhere to go but up after the devastating economic impacts of COVID-19.

• It appears that after journalists and protesters, police officers are most afraid of Shake Shack employees. The New York Police Department's union reported last night that three of its officers had been given poisoned milkshakes at the upscale fast food restaurant. Just hours later, NYPD reported that it had found no evidence of foul-play.

• Some good news: After yesterday's historic Supreme Court victory for LGBTQ+ employment rights, the Trump administration's attempt to reverse trans healthcare rights appears to be dead in the water.

• Time to get busy!