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Post from a Portland OR resident, referring to his father-in-law:While I've been sort of following the ongoing events in Portland, I was floored by the information I recently received from my father-in-law. It is incredibly important that people know what is happening in Portland
because it is very scary and has very real implications for our entire country.
By way of context, he is a general surgeon, retired as the Chief Medical Officer of a hospital in Vancouver, Washington, done stint as Chairman of the WA Medical Commission
By way of context, he is a general surgeon, retired as the Chief Medical Officer of a hospital in Vancouver, Washington, done stint as Chairman of the WA Medical Commission
(licenses and oversees all doctors in WA). He is a community leader, a very smart, educated, and informed person, and is not one to exaggerate or spread misinformation.
Here’s what he has observed in Portland over the past few days:
Here’s what he has observed in Portland over the past few days:
"1. Protests confined to 2 block radius around courthouse; if you’re 4 blocks away, you can’t tell anything has been happening. There is nothing going on outside of that region; Portland is functioning as normally as Pandemic will allow. It is not burning, nor out of control.
2. Protesters are absolutely peaceful at , and with exception of graffiti, are completely within their constitutional rights to protest. Protests involve singing, chanting, and have used “white walls” to block whites who are trying to disrupt or corrupt the protests.
Over ½ of protesters are white. All are protesting for Black Lives Matter. Entrance of federal paramilitary force has brought out many, including myself, incensed at use of unregulated federal force against law abiding citizen & against the will of the state & local government
3. ALL protesters are wearing masks to minimize transmission of CoV-2. However, at times there are 1000 or more, it is hard (though not impossible) to maintain social distancing. When the federal paramilitary force is deployed, it becomes impossible.
4. The Police responded unprovoked and were brutal, but nothing like the paramilitary force. There is a court order that forbids the police to use teargas. I was not there when it was just the police.
5. I did not witness any unlawfulness on part of protesters. Federal paramilitary personnel launched an apparently unprovoked attack. There have been no “riots.” Federal paramilitary force has no training in crowd control, has no oversight, was not invited to by local leadership
does not have any form of ID, do not wear name badges, & wear military camo. They are heavily armed with flash-bang grenades, less-lethal bullets, pepper bullets, pepper spray & tear gas. They will pull goggles off protesters & spray pepper spray into their eyes.
They used batons to beat US Navy vet, broke his hand & sprayed pepper spray in his eyes because he asked why they weren’t honoring their vow to protect constitution. He stood still & did not resist. Blinded by the pepper spray, he turned around and walked away.
The “line of mothers” on Sunday was gassed & shot with less-lethal bullets for chanting Black Lives Matter. At least one was pregnant. Protester holding a sign up with both hands was shot in head with “non-lethal” bullet and will likely have permanent brain damage.
There are videos of people being kidnapped into unmarked vans by federal paramilitaries as they left protests, held for days, interrogated, then released without charges or explanation. The protests are no threat to Portland and only encompass a 2 block area.
They have been peaceful, with graffiti as the only illegal activity. They are well controlled & supported by cross section of Portlanders. Ther's no reason for federal government to be involved, & excessive force being used appears to be nothing more than political show of force
against US Citizens by the Trump administration.
6. About 3000 protesters showed up July 21 all with masks, very well behaved. Certainly no chaos, no violence on part of protesters. Paramilitary attacked at 12:30. I spent an hour talking tomedics. They say they are being targeted
6. About 3000 protesters showed up July 21 all with masks, very well behaved. Certainly no chaos, no violence on part of protesters. Paramilitary attacked at 12:30. I spent an hour talking tomedics. They say they are being targeted
by paramilitary personnel. They are often first to be shot at & tear gassed. When they try to help injured protesters, paramilitary personnel throw flash-bangs & tear gas them (they carry gas masks). One was beaten, dragged away from injured person they were treating & arrested.
They are from OHSU as well as Portland Fire.
7. Elk statue was taken down by Police to “protect” it, but Elk statue was favorite of protesters because it was uncontroversial; so they got a blow-up elk & put it where the real statue used to stand. It’s sort of a rallying point."
7. Elk statue was taken down by Police to “protect” it, but Elk statue was favorite of protesters because it was uncontroversial; so they got a blow-up elk & put it where the real statue used to stand. It’s sort of a rallying point."
This should concern, if not terrify, all of us. This is an unidentified, unaccountable federal police presence attacking American citizens who are not violating any federal laws. This is literally how "secret police" in other authoritarian regimes began.
The comparison to the early stages of Nazi Germany is NOT AN EXAGGERATION anymore.
Silence is complacency. Please share this post. Please spread this information. Please get involved. Do not allow or condone this conduct by our federal government.
Silence is complacency. Please share this post. Please spread this information. Please get involved. Do not allow or condone this conduct by our federal government.
I don't care which political party you support, this is an affront to the U.S. Constitution and the founding principals of our nation.
