What Portland protesters want you to know: "This a fight for all of us"

With Trump threatening to deploy more agents to other U.S. cities, we should be paying close attention to what's been happening in Portland.

Over the weekend I asked a friend up there, one who's been showing up for the protests regularly, what the scene is really like and if she knew what needed to be shared to a wider audience. The main message? Protesters are hoping people outside Portland understand that "this a fight for all of us." She also shared:

Having the FEDS here is super scary for the state of our democracy (and a sign that Trump is a bloody fascist). The local cops have also been gassing and beating up protesters here for weeks with no oversight and little provocation.

The clashes between protesters and police here on the ground is isolated to a small area and happens late at night - but the threat to our democracy is real and present. The cops - both local and Feds are brutalizing people, mostly young and dis-enfranchized folks like the houseless and mentally ill. They pepper spray and beat them every night. It is scary to see.

"There is a nationwide call now for solidarity marches on July 25 -- one in most major cities including Oakland," she also wrote.

She offered press collective @45thabsurdist as a "real-deal" trusted source, "they're the ones out every night getting gassed." Here's a tweet from them, dated June 26:

Here's what the hell we're doing & why.

Please support folks reporting on the ground. In PDX, that includes @tuckwoodstock, @MrOlmos, @hungrybowtie, @TheRealCoryElia, @DonovanFarley

If you want to support *our* catty shit,
cash app is $45thabsurdist
the45thabsurdist on venmo pic.twitter.com/LNkHvBzsrK

- 45th d spnsq pbq (@45thabsurdist) June 27, 2020

Support their efforts with a donation:

cash app is $45thabsurdist
the45thabsurdist on venmo

Here's a first-hand account of the situation from another local source:

Just what is going on in #Portland?

Our very own @IwriteOK has covered the events leading up to the current crisis for weeks, and continues to report on the ground.

Read this before you read non-local coverage of this explosive, dangerous situation https://t.co/fDtBx9lV8S

- Bellingcat (@bellingcat) July 20, 2020

RIOT RIBS is providing free food and overall support to protesters. A few days ago the police shutdown their makeshift kitchen:

3 Riot Ribs folks arrested. They took absolutely everything. They say park is under renovation." They're towing everyone.

- RIOT RIBS (@riotribs) July 16, 2020

Donate: CashApp $riotribs.

Also, Twitter account @sacredfence tweets from the POV of the Justice Center's fence. Here's a "trailer" they made:

A look at the front lines:

#portlandprotest day 51 pic.twitter.com/2QKOB9LhM0

- Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) July 18, 2020

Also follow/read:

PNW Youth Liberation Front:

THE WITCHES:

ACLU: "A Constitutional Crisis in Portland" (Donate)

screengrab via @mrolmos/Twitter