Cause and effect

Oppressed white folk arrive down east

Portland Maine protest turned violent — what could have triggered the crowd?

The city of Portland says in a report released Monday that a June 1 anti-racism demonstration sparked by the death of George Floyd was unprecedented in its size and violence, and that police were forced to monitor social medial to try to anticipate the organizers’ intent as citizens filled the streets.

At times, officers were swarmed by demonstrators who pounded on cruiser windows; demonstrators threw rocks, plastic and glass bottles, and containers of urine, and damaged multiple businesses and city property before police arrested 23 people early the next morning. Police estimate about 2,500 turned out to protest, according to the report, a number much larger than estimates reported at the time. Several businesses were burglarized [The Portland Press refuses to use the term “looting”, because “burglary” sounds so much nicer].

Police used canisters of pepper spray and air-powered pepper ball guns similar to paint ball guns to get the crowd to disperse, and dozens of officers were clad in riot gear and positioned in a line across Franklin Arterial next to police headquarters at 109 Middle Street.

It was the most violent and destructive of Portland’s mostly peaceful protests in recent weeks against systemic racism and police brutality. Portland city councilors are scheduled to discuss the report at a virtual

Here’s the money quote:

The report lays out a timeline of events that night. About 500 demonstrators gathered around 7 p.m. at the corner of India and Commercial Street. By 8:30 p.m., officers took a knee in solidarity.

“While the crowd cheered briefly, many then became increasingly agitated,” the city wrote. “Protest leaders encouraged the group to show respect many times.”

Kneeling in submission is an invitation to attack, and that’s what they got. Idiots.