Some sort of law enforcement officers guarding the courthouse. Officers close to outnumbering protesters.

Nobody will talk to me but per this one badge, they’re US Marshals. They just pushed everyone back onto the sidewalk.

There are so many officers, some US Marshal and some PPB. They are already wearing gas masks and holding guns? Why? Nobody has done anything but stand in the street afaik.

All of the protesters are just asking why the officers are here over and over again. I truly can’t tell and nobody will talk to me.

The protesters standing off facing the officers dont have helmets or goggles. They’re wearing street clothes. They’re not threatening or throwing anything or pointing lasers or lighting anything on fire. I don’t understand why these officers are out here.

I mean.... I guess they’re here to “protect” the construction crew working on the courthouse right now? But there are at least 50 visible officers, maybe more. Is this normal procedure for construction?

Behold, the construction that apparently needs protection by 50-100 federal and local law enforcement officers.

An angel person on twitter gave me goggles and Sergio gave me a dorky helmet (ty Sergio) so I’m now ready to.... stand on the corner of 3rd and Main at 10pm on a Sunday night.

Black protester on the megaphone just called white folks to the front lines. He’s encouraging the entire crowd to think carefully about what they’re saying and doing, on behalf of Black folks.

“We’ve been fighting for 400 years, and it’s not because we are stupid.”

“Some victories we won’t win. This is one we won’t win.”

Crowd seems mildly confused and restless.

Another Black man is hyping up the speaker slash yelling at white black-bloc types who are thirsty to fight.

I haven’t seen either of the people speaking here at JC before.

Speaker are correct that there’s no way 100 protesters can take on 100 officers. But this tone is unusual for the JC and people seem thrown off.

White protester yells at officers, “you’re the escalation. Go back inside and we’ll just hang out in the park.”

Please note that the US Marshals have no badge numbers or names.

And I just realized the group of people who I thought were PPB are also feds. They won’t speak to me either, but I got close enough to see that they’re DHS (technically FPS) before they moved me back.

Here’s a photo of some of the DHS FPS folks.

At this point I’m like, “hell, bring back PPB, at least they are not supposed to use tear gas or arrest me (per the TROs).”

This is a joke please don’t @ me.

I came to investigate this American flag. Turns out it’s upside down next to a Black Lives Matter sign. The person with the flags is wearing a military... blazer... with all of the badges?? (Idk military terms.) they say they served for many years. They’re yelling angrily @ feds

Someone was asking what kind of guns they have and the answer is: I don’t know but maybe you do? HMU in the replies.

Here’s another one. Looks gnarly. Would prefer it was not here.

Meanwhile, construction vans (remember construction? The reason these troops are ostensibly here?) are moving around a little bit. One of them says “1-800-board-up” so I’m guessing business has been extremely good for them lately.

A couple protesters just yelled at the feds to disperse peacefully to the east. Others are yelling “hey, can we talk to Ted?”

Here’s another video of this one gun because people in the replies are saying it’s live munitions and I want that to be confirmed or denied.

Oh hey I stopped asking for tips mostly but I’m one of the only journalists out here tonight (like idk anyone else out here but presumably someone is, right?) so if you have the means and haven’t tipped yet, plz consider http://cash.app/tuckwoodstock  ty!

Anyway back to these guns.

Construction vans are lined up to move out. Feds push protesters back to the sidewalk.

Construction vans leave. Feds retreat back into the courthouse area. They’re heading back inside.

Press update: @45thabsurdist is here now!

PTS update: people are setting fireworks off again

Here’s the courthouse’s post-construction look.

New bonfire at the former elk statue.

(Watermarking videos when I remember because u know Andy N** and Mitch McConnell love 2 steal my vids for some reason.)

A white person is singing on the megaphone and I am wandering away but honestly it’s not bad.

South end of 3rd and main is in the process of being caution-taped off by protesters. 3rd and Salmon is also taped off.

Still can’t believe that there was a federal law enforcement officer... with an AR ... with what everyone seems to agree was live munitions... standing in the streets of Portland ... because... there was construction happening at the courthouse?!

(I could not confirm with the officer that they were live because he would not talk to me but there’s pretty broad twitter consensus from the photos.)

Truck just almost plowed through but stopped and reversed at the last second. More details:

https://twitter.com/45thabsurdist/status/1280028713971662853?s=21 https://twitter.com/45thabsurdist/status/1280028713971662853

Snack van is here with new tires, after having 3 tires slashed by law enforcement last night.