((PKG)) PORTLAND PROTESTS
((TRT: 05:34))
((Topic Banner: Portland Protests))
((Reporter/Camera: Natasha Mozgovaya))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: Portland, Oregon))
((Main characters: 2 female; 4 male))
((NATS: Police Intercom))
This is the Portland Police Bureau. No permit has been
issued to park on the streets or any other roadways in the
area.
((Banner: Portland has a history of organized protests,
dating to the 1800s.
The latest cycle began in May 2020, after police in
Minneapolis killed George Floyd, and protests continue to
this day.))
((NATS: Police Intercom))
All streets remain open to vehicular traffic. Proceed to the
nearest sidewalk and obey all laws. Failure to adhere to this
order may result in citation or arrest.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Allan Classen, Northwest Examiner))
We’ve got policing that's out of touch with the social need but
is still institutionally strong and cannot be pressured to
reform. And we've got angry people. I guess, you might call
the anarchists here who are taking out anger and causing
damage to things randomly, feeling that’s somehow striking
out against authority. The crazy thing is we've got two forces
here that would seem diametrically opposed, and yet they're
feeding each other. The anarchists would say that they want
to show how policing is ineffectual. Policing can't stop them.
They can't make it safe. And the police would like to say,
“See, when you don't fund us enough, see how much
craziness goes on. There's more crime. There's more
shooting. So, you need to fund us more.” And these kinds of
things actually give fuel to each other. It’s what you call a
vicious cycle. They're both feeding each other and speeding
a downward spiral which is helping nobody.
((NATS))
((Kamelah Adams, Owner, Protest Shirts Stand))
I am born and raised here. And yes, it is a liberal city. But
there are still a lot of micro aggressions and implicit bias that
I experience today. Like I can still go into a store on, let's
say, Mississippi Avenue and be followed around that store
because of the color of my skin. So, we still have a lot of
work to do. And, you know, racism and biases are ingrained
in the DNA, in the fabric of America. So, this, you know, us
having honest conversations and talking about race and
biases because of someone's sexuality, sexual orientation,
we have to continue these conversations and we have to
make real change to move forward.
((NATS))
((Mike Streak, Community Volunteer))
I think they’re a bunch of disillusioned people just out to
destroy things, I guess. You know, they have no purpose, no
legitimate protest. They’re just out there creating havoc, you
know, breaking windows, burning trash cans, you know. It’s
all senseless activity as far as I can tell. But I thought the
police did a great job.
((NATS))
((Protester from Portland))
Do you think it’s not the people’s job to like criticize the
government if they're doing something really wrong like
killing people or enslaving more people? There are more
people in our prisons than any other country. Would you like
to explain that? Because I'm the daughter of one of them.
((NATS))
((Protester from outside Portland))
We're just out here just to support our fellow protesters and
let them know that we're going to stand with them. And we
decided to come to this area because it seemed like this
area is very quiet and a lot of people are choosing property
over humans. And we want them to change their mind,
change their thought about that.
((NATS))
((Kamelah Adams, Owner, Protest Shirts Stand))
Protest is the voice of the unheard, right? And when there is
an injustice happening, it affects us all, regardless if anyone
wants to believe that or not. But any injustice will affect us
all. So, I feel like that's the protest. It’s translating that.
((NATS))
((Allen, Community Volunteer))
The challenge with protests are that once they transition into
breaking windows, vandalism, they've lost the empathy of
the community. They also…..it’s counterproductive.
Understand that there's systemic racism. There's a number
of challenges in American society. But you don't solve that
by vandalism. That actually plays right into the hands of the
people who are proponents of that. So, it’s a shame.
((NATS))
((Kamelah Adams, Owner, Protest Shirts Stand))
I mean, we got to think about it though. This change is not
going to happen overnight. This is, what, 465 years of racism
ingrained in our country? This is not going to happen
overnight. So, it's going to take time for this change, but we
have to stay resilient and speak up and make sure that we
come together as a community.
((NATS))
