First Amendment For Some? Portland Rioters Attacking Members of the Press

We Are Change

Portland rioters handed out flyers on Saturday evening, threatening press and others that they better not film their actions — before attacking a camera crew, again.

Portland Riot, photo by Alex Milan Tracy

The Oregon city has been experiencing some of the most violent protests in the nation — with multiple assaults reported and even a shooting. On Saturday evening, 71 people were arrested — including the two involved in the shooting, who are now charged with attempted murder. The victim was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.

A group of rioters had also attacked a camera crew with a baseball bat at a protest in the extremely liberal city on Thursday evening.

Anarchists hit one of the @KGWNews cameras. w/ bat #BlackLivesMatter protesters came to their aid & chased the anarchists off #Portland #PDX

— Nattering Nabob of N (@phpress) November 11, 2016

Instead of the situation calming, it seems to have only grown more hostile towards the press over the weekend. On Saturday, the fifth day of protests, multiple members of the press were assaulted.

@WashCoScanner @AlertSalem @aliceem36 Anarchists just attacked the KOIN cameraman.

— Alan (@PepsiDad) November 13, 2016

“Some protesters attacked a film crew. Bottles being thrown at police. Distractionary ‘bang’ devices being used to effect arrests,” the Portland Police tweeted after midnight on Sunday.

Some protesters attacked a film crew. Bottles being thrown at police. Distractionary "bang" devices being used to effect arrests.

— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) November 13, 2016

A flyer being distributed at the demonstration warned people to put down their cellphones, and began with large bold letters stating, “DONT(sic) SNITCH EVER.”

Media colleague @itsmikebivins warned not to record violent anti-Trump protests. At least 1 media crew attacked last night #PortlandProtest pic.twitter.com/fVKgaLHKO5

— Andy C. Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) November 13, 2016

The flyer read as follows:

“DON’T SNITCH, EVER.

PUT DOWN YOUR CELLPHONES AND PARTICIPATE

DO NOT HELP THE POLICE IN IDENTIFYING PERSONS ENGAGED IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY

DON’T POST PROTEST VIDEOS TO SOCIAL MEDIA

A FEW THINGS YOU CAN DO:

JOIN, CELEBRATE, SHOW YOUR RAGE

YELL FUCK THE POLICE

DRINK SOME WATER AND CHILL

SHARE FOOD

COLLABORATE

FIND ONE ANOTHER

KEEP PEOPLE SAFE FROM PHYSICAL HARM

STOP FILMING.

CONSIDER THIS A WARNING.”

A journalist at the Pacific Sentinel also reported that he was “warned” by masked protesters not to film them, and was also threatened in his direct messages on Twitter.

I wasn't gonna mention it, but at the outset of the Pioneer Square march masked protesters warned me not to film them. #PortlandProtest

— Mike Bivins (@itsmikebivins) November 13, 2016

@MrAndyNgo that flier also came through my direct messages :-/. It's definitely dangerous out there.

— Mike Bivins (@itsmikebivins) November 13, 2016

Bivins described seeing a local news camera being smashed, and said that the “danger is no secret.”

Protests have also been staged in Chicago, Washington, Dayton, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, Providence, Las Vegas — and more.

Students at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring are walking out to protest President-elect Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/iu4gb9FYiU

— ABC7News (@ABC7News) November 14, 2016

On Monday morning, high school students in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Los Angeles, walked out of their classes in protest.

The post First Amendment For Some? Portland Rioters Attacking Members of the Press appeared first on We Are Change.

from We Are Change http://wearechange.org/first-amendment-portland-rioters-attacking-members-press/