After two hours of a peaceful, rowdy dance party, the Occupy Portland eviction is getting tense.
Portland Police announced over PA systems that they intend to clear the streets of protesters, whose ranks fill SW Main Street. Anyone staying in the street, would be subject to arrest or use of pepper spray or tear gas. At roughly 1:45am, police in riot gear and five mounted patrol officers moved into the thick of the crowd, which booed and shouted, “You’re sexy! You’re cute! Take off that riot suit!” According to police, a protester threw a projectile (witnesses believe it was a firecracker) at a mounted patrol officer, injuring him. The police retreated from the crowd, sparking a hearty cheer. An ambulance had to be called to attend to the injured officer, but police reported later that he is alright.
The crowd is clearly split on staying nonviolent versus confronting the police. After the firecracker incident, numerous chants went up about remaining nonviolent, and the crowd surged as a whole, pushing the police back an entire block. As of 2:20am, the police in riot gear are face-to-face with the “front line” of protesters, who are refusing to back off the streets.
Updates soon, or follow along on Twitter.
An officer on KGW said it was a bottle that was thrown.
Those people are lucky they haven’t taken a riot stick to the head. Hopefully the Occupiers can hold out until Sam Adams reverses the damage of the bailout and gives everyone their bailout money..
It’s good to see that even Portland’s hardcore crustpunk anarchists are too sissy to do anything.
I was just down there as of 2:00am and there were thousands in support. No bloodshed as of yet. We’ll see how things go…
http://targetingcops.blogspot.com/2011/11/…
Dear Sam Adams,
I am completely on par with the idea of putting an end to the “non-protest”/ Protest downtown. It is harmful to other parts of the 99% that are working, especially your 99% cops that have bills to pay like everyone else.
But one huge problem. Why on earth did you choose a Saturday night at midnight?????? Did you want a bunch of drunk assholes just showing up with no point? Shame on you. So stupid. Half of your protestors and half of your problems are a bunch of drunk weekenders looking for something to do.
Next time pick Monday at noon. It’ll be much easier to put a lid on.
But one huge problem. Why on earth did you choose a Saturday night at midnight?????? Did you want a bunch of drunk assholes just showing up with no point?
Sam is not very smart, and doesn’t think things through. Seriously, that’s it. Announcing your deadline several days in advance, and having it be Saturday night at midnight, is just about the worst decision you can make. It’s par for the course with this guy.
DrFellGud, the OregonLive comment section is just a click away. Go, find your people, run and play and mate with them, free as the wind blows.
@DrFellGud : “Portland’s hardcore crustpunk anarchists” are still occupying the park. They stood up to the police in riot gear all night. That doesn’t sound like being “too sissy to do anything” to me.
If you are going to judge the ‘anarchists’ by their own site (or at least the one DamosA provided) then they did sissy out.
Or maybe just (finally) getting a little smarter.
It seems to me the clear winner of this is turning out to be the police force here.
Mike Reese is looking pretty damn good too.
I wasn’t judging the “anarchists” or the rest of the Occupiers, just demonstrating the flaws in DrFellGut’s hyperbolic condescension.
Man, I hate the way this woman writes articles. Stop trying so hard to be so witty.. it’s overkill and it’s not working.