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Hi there, this is a video thread from that one thing where the far right broke into the Salem, Oregon courthouse today
I was undercover reporting and filning from 8AM to 12PM. You can read my thread about it here: https://twitter.com/LauraJedeed/status/1341061381076836352?s=19
I was undercover reporting and filning from 8AM to 12PM. You can read my thread about it here: https://twitter.com/LauraJedeed/status/1341061381076836352?s=19
Let us begin at the beginning. I approach the capital building and immediately hear someone shout "the side door is open!"
More and more far right protesters approach the door. I posted this clip in the original thread but putting it here too for continuity:
"This is a peaceful resistance!" That's Joey Gibson, on repeat. This goes on for a while, here's a short clip to give you the idea
A few reinforcements arrive. Either the police were caught totally flat-footed on this event or they underestimated the far right's willingness to physically engage. Maybe both?
Either way: some scuffles break out
Either way: some scuffles break out
The fighting continues. We start to hear invective against the cops from the Back the Blue folks
"Here come the Nazis!"
The police are done fucking about and so the far right finds out: impact munitions at close range
These are the mild pepper balls that smell like baby powder. As someone who's been OTG in Portland for 7 months, I am something of a connoisseur
The police are done fucking about and so the far right finds out: impact munitions at close range
These are the mild pepper balls that smell like baby powder. As someone who's been OTG in Portland for 7 months, I am something of a connoisseur
A gentleman flips a cop's face shield up and gets shoved, than munutioned, then threatens them again, then walks away
Can you fucking IMAGINE what would happen to a BLM protester who went for a cop's face like that? Arrest for assaulting a police officer at very least
Can you fucking IMAGINE what would happen to a BLM protester who went for a cop's face like that? Arrest for assaulting a police officer at very least
The cops do that thing where they decide to go back inside and then mace people to stop them following
Two far right demonstrators cling to the door for dear life while a cop maces the absolute shit out of them
Then someone maces back
Shit is very, very spicy as the cops retreat and leave the door wide open
Then someone maces back
Shit is very, very spicy as the cops retreat and leave the door wide open
"There's a Chinese dude in the fucking window right there!!"
This is the beginning of a persistent rumor that the Chinese communists are inside the Oregon State Capital building doing communist shit and destroying America. Yes, really. It comes up repeatedly for hours
This is the beginning of a persistent rumor that the Chinese communists are inside the Oregon State Capital building doing communist shit and destroying America. Yes, really. It comes up repeatedly for hours
For a while, the far right wanders in and out of the mace-filled hallway, hacking as they emerge
Then Dallas Heard, the Rosenberg State Senator shows up. "I'm in full support of your right to enter your capital building, ok?"
The crowd calls his bluff. "Let us in!!" they chant
Then Dallas Heard, the Rosenberg State Senator shows up. "I'm in full support of your right to enter your capital building, ok?"
The crowd calls his bluff. "Let us in!!" they chant
Heard loses his temper a bit. Tell a very loud man that screaming and shouting will do no good. He tells the crowd that change comes through voting
This goes over about as well as you'd expect
This goes over about as well as you'd expect
"Enough of this guy! We're going inside!" Chandler Pappas leads the way into the now-less-spicy hallway
Moving into the foyer. That coughing is from residual spiciness. It's a nice excuse to put on a mask
Chanting and kicking at the doors, which are flimsy enough that a good luck would definitely have gotten them in
A back entrance, guarded by a dude with a goddamn bull whip for some reason
Not the most significant moment if the day but my absolute favorite: the Patriots, crowded into a very small room, begin to urge others to mace the surveillance cameras
Majestic
Majestic
Pappas finally wrenches the door open and cops instantly respond with impact munitions. Same mild pepper balls as before
A conversation with the cops
Eventually fear of settling got the activists to leave the foyer, as described in the original tweet thread. Eventually, the cops decided to clear the entrance with some force
That's all the good stuff! Might upload a few more over the next couple days but this is for sure the meat of the matter
Solidarity to all, and thank you to everyone who sponsored the hit apple cider and bourbon I've been drinking while uploading!
Solidarity to all, and thank you to everyone who sponsored the hit apple cider and bourbon I've been drinking while uploading!
