Police detain more than 100 Portland protesters in apparent kettling

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: The Oregonian/OregonLive

Portland

Police detain more than 100 Portland protesters in apparent kettling

Updated 12:11 AM; Today 9:31 PM

By Jayati Ramakrishnan The Oregonian/OregonLive

Portland police detained a crowd of over 100 protesters during a Friday night demonstration, stemming a march only minutes after it began. ... The mass detainment was an apparent use of kettling, a police tactic of surrounding a crowd and containing people within a perimeter. Police told the crowd they were detaining everyone within the boundary for the "investigation of a crime" but did not specify the nature of the alleged crime.

Demonstrators initially gathered in the Pearl District about 8:30 p.m. and started marching roughly a half-hour later. Police threatened to arrest protesters minutes after the march started, saying those walking in the street were blocking traffic and would be subject to arrest, citation or crowd control munitions if they didn't move.

Police announced about 9:20 p.m. they were setting up a perimeter around the group and detaining everyone. Police said the detention was "temporary" and that they would remove demonstrators "one at a time."

Meanwhile, a crowd gathered outside the perimeter, chanting "let them go" and slogans decrying police. ... In once incident at roughly 10 p.m., videographer CarissaDez captured livestream footage of Portland police pepper spraying two people outside the perimeter who were confronting police about the detentions.

{snip}

This report will be updated.

—Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; [e-mail]; @JRamakrishnanOR

https://twitter.com/JRamakrishnanOR

Read more: https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2021/03/police-conduct-mass-arrests-during-pearl-district-protest.html

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And the demonstrations are for what?

[rickyhall]

1. Portland used to be such a cool town, then the cops went gestapo it seems.

[jimfields33]

4. Why do protesters want to block streets?

It seems counter effective getting a point across. I would think it would make drivers upset to have to wait in traffic until it’s over.

[oldsoftie]

6. You're right. Pissing people off is NEVER going to get your cause MORE support

[LanternWaste]

30. Did not the civil right protests of the 60s piss off people?

Did not that movement grow and thrive despite "pissing off people"?

Looking forward to the distinction lacking a relevant difference to better justify an unsupported premise.

[oldsoftie]

40. Except numerous polls prove me right & you wrong. To no ones surprise.

[LanternWaste]

31. Yo man, I dunno. Why do cops kettle without specifying a crime?

I think it would make people upset to be detained lacking charges.

[Grasswire2]

36. +++++ nt

[Steelrolled]

42. I think the people being detained are already plenty

upset with the cops. So a little more probably doesn't make a big difference.

[whistler162]

2. For those of us who arn't hip or with it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettling#:~:text=Kettling%20(also%20known%20as%20containment,crowd%20within%20a%20limited%20area.

Definition of Kettling

[LuvLoogie]

3. What were they protesting? Doesn't say.

They should have a nice game of kick the can. Or play Ding Dong Ditch It.

[SmartJellyfish]

9. They are not protesters

They are anarchist vandals breaking windows and spraying graffiti. This has been going on since last summer. Downtown is a mess. About time the police escalated their tactics.

[McKim]

11. Not Civilized for Sure

We had just taken down the fences around the federal courthouse and cleaned it up when these people showed up for more vandalism. They spray painted the building and started fires. Their political issues are important but they are using illegals means to get their point across.

I am involved in the Portland revival and we are working hard to clean up downtown and make it a place where all Portlanders can spend time, shop, eat and enjoy events. Our city does not need this. These vandals are hurting our whole city and we are fed up.

[LizBeth]

20. At this point, I agree.

[Grasswire2]

37. what is the name of the organization you call "Portland revival"? nt

[oldsoftie]

41. And yet so many people just dont want to believe you. I do.

Its obvious from the reporting that comes out of Portland. And not from Fox. You've stated the problem well. They've ruined a lot of support from people. Thats what happens when legit protests go to shit.
Good luck up there; I can tell you're disgusted by these acts!

[LizBeth]

19. +1.

[bigtree]

14. it was the second night of protests against a pipeline

...in this companion article.

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2021/03/police-conduct-mass-arrests-during-pearl-district-protest.html

[WhiteTara]

18. Democracy is messy.

[Calista241]

24. They started when BLM was having widespread nationwide protests

The've continued on weekly since then. The day before, they set fire to the federal courthouse in Portland.

[madville]

5. Sounds like Portland has had enough

Sooner or later the businesses and property owners were going to demand some action. No one wants to go for a night out to a bar or restaurant and be in the middle of a protest blocking streets and sidewalks, breaking windows, etc. With all the reopening they need to get people back spending money and paying local sales taxes.

Mayor Wheeler has also requested a partial refunding of the police budget, mostly because homicides are at 20 for the first two months of the year compared to just one during the same time last year.

[oldsoftie]

7. Happening to a lesser extent in Atlanta too. Police non presence is hurting business.

In Atlanta one of the biggest problems is "water sellers" accosting you at every red light in the downtown district. I know many people who would go downtown at least once or twice a month and spend a night who no longer go. Now they go to the suburbs like Alpharetta.
The Mayor started out last summer strongly enforcing law & order, but she caved to the "activists" and the Wendys arson & murder is what we got.
Up to that point I thought she had a really good shot at VP.

[Elessar Zappa]

10. Violence at protests is rare.

It’s the right wing claiming that protesters are destroying cities.

[McKim]

12. Agent Provokers?

This could be stirred up by undercover right wingers stirring these kids up to do harm to our city.

[McKim]

13. It's not rare here!!!

It's not rare here! We used to have civilized protests but now most turn into vandalism. This is different and it repeats until our city and its reputation are damaged. We cannot tolerate this anymore. We need a new word for this activity: Recreational Vandalism in the guise of Protest.

[Grasswire2]

27. You do know that Portland was named "Little Beirut" THIRTY YEARS ago, for its heritage of protests?

Here's a great article on the legacy of the 21 most memorable protests in Portland.

https://www.oregonlive.com/living/2016/04/little_beirut_legacy_20_of_the.html


How long have you lived in Portland?

[McKim]

33. Yes, a Fine Tradition

Yes, its a fine tradition here. i helped organize many protests here over the years. These protests of late here are always ending in destruction, vandalism, graffiti, fires and have really hurt out city. The stuff going on recently has nothing to do with our fine traditions and everything to do with destroying our city and its reputation. "By their fruits you shall know them.". Think about that.

[McKim]

34. I have lived here my whole life

I have lived here my whole life and been very active in Left politics for decades.

[former9thward]

39. There is a good book which covers protests/activism in Portland

Radicals in the Rose City: Portland's Revolutionaries 1960 -1975 by Bill Nygren and Matt Nelson. Nygren was Oregon's first Vietnam War draft resister who was sentenced to prison.

[Grasswire2]

25. There is no local sales tax.

No sales tax in the state of Oregon.

[ancianita]

8. Exactly. Because what they demonstrate about explains the political bias of police, mayor &

police commissioner in using kettling. Kettling could have been done in Washington DC, too.

This kettling and one-at-a-time release was used for data gathering and further surveillance.

[bluestarone]

15. Really, in my eyes, it doesn't makes any difference WHO they are, IF

They are causing damage, they NEED to be ARRESTED!!! We cannot support this behavior!!!

[Grasswire2]

26. "we"? nt

[MissMillie]

16. Breitbart is reporting that this was an Antifa protest

And as near as I can tell there is no evidence about that, OF COURSE

[KS Toronado]

17. Probably the same Antifa protesters who were in DC Jan 6th

According to FQX news anyway.

[LizBeth]

21. A group of anarchists that are neither rw or left.

[COL Mustard]

22. Don't Read Breitbart

It'll rot your brain.

[MissMillie]

23. no worries

I don't read Breitbart.

I was tipped off from another source.

[Grasswire2]

28. Portland, fondly known as "Little Beirut" for thirty years now!

So named by George H.W. Bush.

Here's an article on the twenty most significant protests in the last thirty years. It's a long tradition.

https://www.oregonlive.com/living/2016/04/little_beirut_legacy_20_of_the.html

[BillTee]

29. Were the police wearing brown shirts?

[EX500rider]

32. So should they allow protestors to vandalize and burn down the Federal courthouse?

Also not sure how rioting in Portland will stop a pipeline that does not even go thru their state.

[McKim]

35. Exactly!!!!

Exactly, look at the heartbreaking results of these "protests" to see what its all about now. One goal seems to be smash the system and throw the baby out with the bath water. This is damaging to our city and our hopes and dreams. It cuts deep.

[hydrolastic]

38. Just going to say my point from only my experience

Not speaking for anyone one else. The protests i attended in Seattle were all non violent up until this last year or so. I went in the afternoon with my family and usually left when it got dark. There were a few evening protests. They were fine also.
But the protests kind of turned. From my perspective the police ramped up the harassment and were doing various tactics to keep us protesters off guard. Couple of times i was warned to be careful because the police were beating people excessively during the arrests. i didn't see this directly. But i cut down on my attendance. I started to watch the protests live streaming on twitch. This is where i get so proud of the young protesters that kept going. From the live video it was clear it became a battlefield out there. This i believe was intentional and the police were provoking the crowds with tear gas and rubber bullets. When i saw the Wall of Moms in Portland i was jumping up and down cheering the ingenious tactic and exposing the police "brutality".
Remember the catch and release by unidentified police in unmarked vans? I bet there were similar tactics used by police in the 60's. This year though there are differences media people were being openly targeted. It seemed the protesters were becoming much more organized I believe in response to the police brutality. Not the other way around. The last protest i attended was at a local police station in north Seattle near my house. As i got near i asked a guy where the main protest was and he said he didn't know. It took me a minute but i realized i was talking to a undercover cop. During the protest the tension was so high i was really getting fearull for the crowd as it was clear the police were going to "do someththing" The leaders of the protest just said stop and we all turned and left. And not a minute too soon. In the end i realized its super hard to be non violent in a protest. The tension is that high. The protesters last year need to be thanked they came out during a pandemic. Repeatably put themselves at risk, For a cause. For what is right. I am immensely proud of them. I wish i could have done more. Hydro