A crowd of approximately 1000 gathered for the 62nd consecutive night of protests in Portland on July 28. The demonstrators gathered at the Justice Center and Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse, as they do nightly to protest police brutality and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. In recent weeks, the protests have grown to include a condemnation of the presence of federal agents and their handling of the protests.
At the federal courthouse, the fence had been further reinforced. Cement barricades had been placed on the outside to prevent protestors from pulling it over, as they had done repeatedly on previous nights. Throughout the night, protestors would stand on these barricades to get a better view or would use them to more easily climb the fence.
The crowd gathered in the early evening mostly in front of the Justice Center. They listened to speakers talk about the importance of white people supporting and protecting protestors of color. They discussed systematic racism, as well as, why the Black Lives Matter movement is important.
By 10:45 p.m., most of the crowd remained in front of the Justice Center. A small group gathered at the courthouse.
Meanwhile, veterans dressed predominantly in white from various branches of the U.S. armed forces formed a wall in the middle of the intersection of 3rd and Main. They held signs, one which read “America Will Hold You Accountable” and American flags turned upside down.
Multiple rows of moms in sunflower yellow stood behind them.
By 11:10 p.m., the majority of the crowd had shifted so that they were in front of the federal courthouse. Protestors gathered at the fence chanting at the building and looking at the portico, which was dark, as federal officers had turned off all the lights.
Throughout this time, starting around 9:40 p.m., officers made a series of announcements over the LRAD (long range acoustic device). These announcements told people to not tamper with the fence, trespass on federal property, light fires or set off fireworks. They threatened arrest and the use of crowd control munitions if this was not followed.
These announcements were often met with protestors attempting to drown them out. Protestors shook the fence, booed, played instruments and chanted over the LRAD.
Protestors continued to stand by the fence and chant “Stay together, stay tight, we do this every night,” “Feds go home,” “Who do you protect? Who do you serve?” “Black lives matter” and “ACAB, All cops are bastards.”
Around midnight, a large fire burned at the elk statue and a small trash fire was started within the fence line. The trash fire was quickly extinguished. Several other fires burned at various points throughout the night.
Around 12:15 a.m., officers came out into the portico behind riot shields. They never went past the pillars and quickly returned to the building interior.
Fireworks continued to be shot towards the building and over the fence. Protestors also pounded on the fence and a few sat at the top.
A little after 12:40 a.m., officers shot pepper ball rounds at a protestor who set off a firework in the portico. The officers did not come out, instead the rounds came from the peepholes. This strategy was repeated later.
A little after 1:30 a.m., the assembly was declared unlawful and protestors were ordered to leave. Agents came out into the portico behind riot shields. They deployed gas, stun grenades and pepper balls. With this, much of the crowd shifted back to Salmon and 4th.
By 1:45 a.m., the federal agents had moved back inside. Protestors threw several objects as agents retreated.
Protestors then shifted back towards the fence, however, no one actively held the line.
