Yesterday at the community free store's Thursday distro, Portland Police arrived and began to harass community members both seeking and distributing resources. Around 6:00 PM, a group of about four officers approached as people were still setting up. They informed those present that the tables on the sidewalk needed to be removed or citations would be issued. Moments later, without any warning or explanation, an officer grabbed an individual by one of the tables, forced them to their knees, and restrained their hands behind their back. They were then dragged across the street, handcuffed, and placed in a squad car where they were held for 30 minutes before being released. When asked why they were being arrested, an officer said that they were just detaining people to get their identification.

In a matter of minutes, police went from supposedly being there because of the tables to detaining people they claimed were on the street. Soon after, the police presence intensified, with at least 11 squad cars present and over 20 officers on foot, filling an entire city block. Multiple people walking by asked if someone had been shot. It should be noted that PPB consistently complains about staff shortages but they have no issue sending out an insane amount of resources to harass and assault the houseless community and those helping them.

After the first arrest, I was standing on the sidewalk when two officers approached me, pulled me into the street, and restrained my hands behind my back. One officer repeatedly presented me with two options: accept a citation or go to jail.
Feeling angry and unjustly accused, I remained silent, refusing to comply with an unfair choice. When I didn't respond as he hoped, I was handcuffed and taken back to the sidewalk.
Eventually, I was released with a citation, which I believe was for impeding traffic, though the details are illegible.

During this incident, 3 people total were detained and cited, others were also subjected to harassment and being assaulted by the police, and citations were issued to parked cars nearby.

The community free store has become an essential resource in Portland, flourishing over the past year. It provides hot food, water, snacks, seasonal clothing, hygiene and medical supplies, tents, blankets, and more-resources that can be lifesaving.

Since January 2nd, the police have increasingly targeted the community free store. Initially, they surveiled from their vehicles, but soon escalated to recording from a distance, questioning individuals in groups, and gathering intelligence. Yesterday marked a significant escalation of their tactics.

As in previous encounters, when PPB threatened to cite individuals, many who relied on these vital resources left empty-handed. This intimidation strategy effectively discourages vulnerable populations from seeking help. Which is of course intentional. The police's actions also aim to instill fear among those distributing resources and to deter future congregation and participation. Detaining and citing individuals also serves to identify them for further intelligence gathering on these communities.

Mutual aid efforts, the poor, and houseless communities have long faced repression and state-sanctioned violence. The autonomy and self-reliance fostered by these community initiatives challenge state authority and control over our lives. It is not uncommon for those involved in mutual aid to experience harassment, surveillance, physical violence, arrests, and citations. The state utilizes various repressive measures, criminalizing mutual aid activities and deploying law enforcement to disrupt gatherings. This situation highlights the ongoing tension between state power and community resilience, emphasizing the urgent need to protect mutual aid as a crucial form of organization that addresses systemic inequalities and promotes collective empowerment.

#Portland #CommunityFreeStore #MutualAid #pdx