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Portland cops say protesters threw rocks and concrete chunks at them, Internet slams 'copaganda' and seeks proof

'I don't want a picture of a concrete chunk as 'evidence', I want clear, verifiable, video proof,' said a user

August 7 evening witnessed a demonstration involving around hundred-odd people on East Burnside in Portland following which police declared the gathering as an unlawful assembly, according to a KGW8 report. In two subsequent tweets, the Portland policed stated, “Officers are having rocks and chunks of concrete thrown at them. Individuals in the crowd are shining lasers trying to blind officers. The sound truck is issuing warnings and directions to those participating in the unlawful assembly to disperse. We apologize to the neighbors who are disturbed by the loudspeaker on the sound truck. We know it’s late. We have to keep our distance to avoid the items being used as weapons against us.”

Officers over a loudspeaker announced that protesters must disperse but the group, which has formed a shield line, did not move from their position. According to the report, shortly before 10 pm, the demonstrators, after marching from Laurelhurst Park, arrived at the Penumbra Kelly Building, at 47th Avenue and East Burnside where the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office is located. Police declared the unlawful assembly shortly after the group arrived.

Twitter wasn’t ready to agree with the police. And, some of them even demanded proof. One wrote: "This is copaganda, but the neighbors are now pissed at you. congratulations you played yourself."

Another user said, "Video or it didn't happen. Everybody I've asked said this absolutely was not happening. I don't want a picture of a concrete chunk as "evidence", I want clear, verifiable, video proof."

A user opined, "Maybe if the officers didn't intentionally provoke a violent confrontation with peaceful people in order to taint the reputation of the movement, they wouldn't be in this situation."

One user questioned, "So, you're going with concrete and lasers as your lie tonight? It's pretty uninspired. Also, directive 310.50. You know the one that says you'll always be truthful."

Another demanded, "Please show video of concrete being thrown tonight. It's a reasonable request, some burden of proof for an alleged crime."

One said, "Portland protesting means patiently waiting to get brutalized by police and then getting brutalized again and again and then waking up the next morning to copaganda articles in which the brutalized masses are blamed for the violence."

As stated in the KGW8 report, Friday night’s protest came on the heels of two nights of demonstrations outside the Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct. Those nights ended with officers clearing out protesters who vandalized the precinct and threatened violence, according to police. On August 6, around 200 people clashed with police as two other Black Lives Matter rallies proceeded peacefully elsewhere, according to the report. On August 5 night, people allegedly pulled boards off the precinct windows, used them to wedge the doors shut and tried to set fire to the building, according to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. KGW8 quotes Wheeler as saying, “You are attempting to commit murder.”

As reported by Oregon Live.com, on August 7, President Donald Trump stated that federal agents could immediately and very easily put a stop to ongoing protests in Portland that have escalated in recent nights outside local police precincts. Trump even blamed Wheeler, who he said ordered police to stand down and left the city unprotected. According to KGW8, Wheeler, earlier in the week, had said violent protesters were serving as political “props” for Trump's reelection.