Read on Twitter
I am currently watching a press conference of a dozen victims of police violence in Portland telling their stories along with expert testimony. I will do a thread here of the event.
Andre Miller tells of how he was shot in the head while trying to leave a protest in July. A father, Miller says, "I thought I was going to die." https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2020/07/two-portlanders-hospitalized-after-shot-with-munitions-if-that-round-had-hit-me-in-the-neck-i-definitely-would-have-died.html
Erica Christiansen says she was observing a protest in North Portland, not participating, when she asked an officer to leave her neighborhood. She says the cop threw her to the ground and shot her five times w/ munitions at point-blank range targeting her sexual organs.
Trip Jennings, a National Geographic photojournalist, shot in the eye by police while reporting. He says he's seen shocking use of police weapons in Portland. He had to have surgery and attack has had "huge impact" on his life and chilling impact on media https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-journalist-whos-worked-with-pbs-and-national-geographic-tells-us-what-it-was-like-being-shot-in-the-eye-by-law-enforcement-in-portland/ar-BB17gu8V
Samira Green was tear-gassed by police while 22 weeks pregnant. She and her children, "We tried to make a safe exit but tear gas flew by our heads and we had to walk through it. I was afraid I would miscarry. This is the sad reality of living in America." https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2020/06/couple-sues-city-of-portland-after-being-exposed-to-tear-gas-during-protests.html
Tracy Molina, a veteran, is regular at BLM protests. She's been shot 7 times. "Four times have been in the bikini area. Police are aiming where they shouldn't be aiming. I've been punched in face by feds. Shot too many times by pepper balls to count." https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2020/06/judge-allows-protesters-excessive-force-suit-to-proceed-against-portland-police-stemming-from-august-2018-demonstration.html
Armonia says she police shot her in leg by smoke grenade unprovoked, causing soft tissue damage and bone contusion. In 2nd incidence, she was assaulted by far-right protester. Police refused to arrest him, but detained her. "Portland police are incapable of neutrality."
Elijah Warren, father and homeowner. He and his son were tear-gassed in their home. When he went to speak to police, one officer bashed him in head w/ baton, giving him a concussion. "The Portland police is acting like a criminal gang." https://eminetra.com/resident-says-house-filled-with-tear-gas-during-riot-portland-oregon/62129/
Philip says during one protest police used extensive amount of tear gas. Bc he is deaf, she says, "I was deaf and blind from tear gas." He suffered after-effects for weeks: headaches, vomiting, had to have surgery for damage to organs.
Michael Weisdorf, father of 6-yo and graduate student, was following police instructions to disperse. He was attacked, violently thrown to ground, elbow broken. Spent 3 days in hospital, had to have surgery. https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2020/07/burns-bloody-wounds-broken-bones-injuries-mount-at-portland-protests.html
Andrew Tolman was performing ASL interpretation at a protest. He was thrown to the ground, head violently smashed. "I was held and mocked for 10 hours." https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2020/08/25/28767637/sign-language-interpreter-gets-arrested-while-making-portland-protests-more-accessible
Mira of Coalition of Communities of Color talks of the report issued by the organization that has documented dozens of cases of violence which are a snapshot of "thousands of cases of police violence" since BLM protests began in late May. https://www.coalitioncommunitiescolor.org/research-and-publications/police-violence-is-hate-violence-testimonies-of-police-brutality-from-the-streets-of-portland
Now 8 experts will speak. First up is Professor Alex Vitale, author of The End of Policing, now speaking. "I am very moved by the horrific stories we just heard."
https://www.versobooks.com/books/2426-the-end-of-policing
https://www.versobooks.com/books/2426-the-end-of-policing
Alex Vitale: "Why has Portland police invested so heavily in acquiring vast array of military weaponry? This weaponry is not just intended to suppress demonstrations, but to coerce people not to participate and create a patina of violence and illegitimacy around protests."
Vitale: "What is happening in Portland and around country is a form of counter-protest. Demands are no longer reform, but to reduce power and scope of policing. Police view protests that question their authority and legitimacy as an existential threat."
Vitale: "We should look to defund paramilitary units and police more broadly and replace them as much as possible with nonviolent alternatives. But there is also a political failure."
Vitale: Mayors and president turn over demands of addressing violent policing to police themselves. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler does not want to engage demands of protesters, but instead allows police to respond to protests w/ the violence that led to protests in 1st place.
Dr. Rohini Haar, Physicians for Human Rights: "Vast majority of protests are peaceful. Even when violence occurs, vast majority of protesters are peaceful. A few violent incidents does not justify use of crowd-control weapons."
Dr. Haar co-author, Shot in the Head, which documents 115 cases of protesters being shot in the head. "If you look at these cases, none of them were being violent or dangerous. Portland police use of force violates Constitution and their own policies." https://phr.org/our-work/resources/shot-in-the-head/
Dr. Janice Haaken, professor emeritus of clinical psychology: "Historically, police weapons, use of force, violence is the response to political protest. A thrown water bottle or a small fire is used as justification for police violence."
Dr. Haaken: Social change is not orderly, but even against the militarized police violence, protesters display creativity, solidarity, and mutual aid.
Dr. Maureen Katz: "I can say without clinical ambiguity the acts committed by police are acts of state terror. To take one example, the abduction of people off the street is used to control the population at large w/ fear."
Dr. Katz: "The audience for these acts are the rest of us. The message is, 'Stay put, don't participate or you too will be subject to state terror. The extreme show of force is a chilling message meant to paralyze political activity."
Shane Burley, author of Fascism Today, says Portland police facilitate violence by far-right militias. "Texts between police and far-right reveal police provide them w/ real-time tactical info, helping them avoid arrest, and even protecting their marches. https://www.akpress.org/fascism-today.html
Burley: "There are 2 types of violence police perpetrate. Violence such as killing of George Floyd and violence they facilitate by far right. W/ Proud Boys coming to Portland on Sept. 26, it's open question if police will prevent another Kyle Rittenhouse, as Proud Boys threaten."
Hyung Nam, Portland activist and public schoolteacher: "The costs of police violence include the thousands killed and lives irreparably damaged, loss of public safety, and financial costs."
Hyung Nam: "There is no way to reduce the cost of police violence. Costs run into hundreds of millions of dollars a year for cities such as New York. Cost of police misconduct suits expected to soar in Portland w/ 100s of cases of police brutality."
Hyung Nam: "Solutions to reduce the cost of police misconduct suits increases the burden on victims. Ultimately the only way to reduce the financial cost of police violence is abolishing police."
Kaniku X Nu'Kezi: "We have to talk about intergenerational trauma and shared community trauma, such as what the Black community experiences and what we have experience in Portland from the police violence."
Kaniku X Nu'Kezi: "These protests are a reminder that as Black people our lives are not valued above the value of property."
Kaniku X Nu'Kezi: "Police abolition and the abolition of prisons is not an easy path forward. We have to start by processing our trauma, by creating victim-led and informed restorative justice, and community care."
Concluding advice from Dr. Maureen Katz: "Studies show the worst position the bystander. That creates the most psychological conflict. The solution is to act. To get out. To protest. To vote. To knock on doors. Whatever your ability. We know acting is what ends state terror."
