A Gay and Totally Human Worker

“I hope everyone is okay.

“The Portland Police lost control tonight.

“The only reason I made it home safely tonight is because my community had my back.

“The Police declared a public disturbance right as we arrived, before anything could even be disturbed, and they attacked us minutes later.

“In spite of a national moratorium and a restraining order, the police used tear gas on a crowd that included children, in the neighborhood filled with families, families who were on their porches supporting the people.

“Police targeted streamers and journalists who were documenting their crimes, brutalizing them while screaming "stop resisting" to people who were laying on the ground with their arms covering their heads.

“Police shot impact munitions and pepper bullets at people who were doing nothing but standing on a sidewalk or in the blocked off road, deliberately shooting people in the face, neck, and groin.

“Police deliberately hit people in the head with batons and trampled over those who were doing nothing but peacefully sitting in protest of police brutality.

“Tonight, the Portland Police broke the national moratorium on the use of teargas in non-life-threatening situations.

“Tonight, the Portland Police disregarded the local court order banning the use of teargas in non life-threatening situations.

“Tonight, the Portland Police broke their contract with this city and they need to be held accountable.

“The Portland Police ignored the Constitution of the United States and stole our first amendment right to assemble.

“If the police are the ones who are breaking the law - ignoring our protections under the Constitution, ignoring a national moratorium on teargas, ignoring a direct order from a judge - if the police are the criminals, and if the mayor supports their criminal activities, what recourse do the people have?

“If the police can break any law whenever they want, without consequence, if they can target journalists, if they can brutalize peaceful protesters, if they can gas an entire neighborhood filled with families, if they are exempt from acknowledging the protections of the Constitution of the United States - and there is literally nothing we can do about it because City Hall said so in the contract they signed with these pigs, then it is the DUTY of the mayor and City Hall to end this contract that endangers the entire city.

“It is a contract that allows the police to do anything they want to anyone in Portland for any reason that they see fit, and have zero consequences for it.

“This is the contract that the mayor signed with these animals.

“I want to file a lawsuit. I want to take every possible peaceful step to find recourse. I want to believe that there is a legal way to get justice. Because if we cannot find recourse politically, peacefully, then it confirms that we don't live in a free country. If we don't live in free country, then we live under tyranny. If we live under tyranny, then it is our duty - to ourselves, to our children, and to future generations - to fight for our liberation by any means necessary. And believe it or not, that is the last thing I want.”

I know I’ve given you protest instructions and advice before.

This is absolutely one of those times to listen.

If you’re new, uninitiated, or considering going out for your First, be advised that you need to be careful.

And I’ve said this before:

LISTEN TO YOUR PROTEST LEADERS. 

I cannot overemphasize that. The last protest I was at, a man pulled out a gun, an actual gun, and while I don’t think we were ever in any danger, the leader gave everyone an earful about antagonizing and escalation once we’d marched a safe distance down the street. At the end, they told us sternly that they knew how long it would take for someone to actually get to the point of shooting people, and that they could judge that because of their life experience. Odds are that your local protest leaders will have similar experience and awareness, and when it comes to that, it can literally mean the difference between life and death. 

So if you do choose to protest or march this week, you. Listen. To. Your. Leaders. You move as a unit. You stay safe. You take care of yourself and then you take care of the person next to you. 

Pack water. Pack illumination. Pack light. And study up on basic first aid, too.

It is the job of the police to oppress the working class on behalf of the bosses. Do not believe the sanitized rhetoric of the powers that be—all positive social change was fought for, tooth and nail. They will never make concessions without mass action.

Ok, y'all. I've seen the shit commentary, I've seen the "lolololol wtf is this why wouldn't you show your face at protests, don't you want to put your face out there?"

And THIS IS WHY. Cops are ABSOLUTELY retaliating against protesters for the act of participating in protests. They ARE looking at your social media and using it to trump up charges. They've been doing this for... ever.

If you don't care for yourself, fine. Take that risk yourself. But you don't get to make that decision for other people. Don't upload identifiable information about other protesters. This isn't about "Main Character Syndrome" or whatever ridiculous shit you've convinced yourself of, this is happening.

And if someone is actively telling you to put your face out there on the internet and the face of others being at protests, either they're SUPER naive about the potential consequences of doing so, or they're not actually on your side. 🤷‍♂️

Personally, I'm leaning toward "there are a lot of uniformed and naive people out there," because I don't think cops are out there acting like jackasses on Tumblr. But like.

Don't be one of those people. Don't encourage people to upload images of the faces of protesters or shame people for not wanting images of themselves uploaded.

This is why it's really important to know your rights. The only thing that you have to confirm to police is your nationality. You do not have to give them your name and address. If you are arrested under coronavirus legislation, they do not have the right to collect your biometric data.

and my favorite:

The Reciepts:

spread the word y’all