Since the 28th of May, 2020, passionate people have taken to the streets of Portland, Oregon to protest the tragic murder of George Floyd, support the Black Lives Matter movement, and demand changes from within the government and police force. Cities across the United States, and the entire world, have stood together in mass protest of police brutality. On July 4th, after weeks of peaceful demonstration, federal officers pushed out of the Portland US District Court Building and into the streets, causing chaos, injury to citizens, and general disarray. Throughout the heat of summer, protesters showed unity, strength, and resilience in the face of feds - never backing down from their cries for justice, equality, and overdue social changes.
On July 26th, I decided to join the protest in order to document the day, and to share the stories of the many people who've come together as one. I happened to be in Oregon at the time, and it felt wrong to spend time anywhere else besides downtown. It seemed as if I was placed there at that particular time in order to participate, and use my platform to share what I witnessed. Despite a lot of accurate accounts, reporting, and sources, some news outlets have completely misrepresented the Portland Protests, calling them 'violent riots' among other mistruths. My intention is to show the genuine and heartfelt plight of the people. No matter who I talked to in the streets, they all reminded me that they were there for the same key reasons. To support BLM, to stand against the unwelcome Federal officers, to call for justice reform, and police abolition in their city.
Above: Lownsdale Square, occupied by protestors cooking food, handing out water and other supplies such as tear gas solutions, helmets, and masks, with a reclaimed monument in the center.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: Lownsdale Square, a cooker grilling hot dogs, donated for protesters, reads "Go Home Feds!!!"
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: SW 3rd & Salmon, a streetlight pole covered in protest stickers reading "Abolition, not reform", and "Black Lives Matter", among others.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Directly after this photo was taken, I was approached by a young man, who was happy to see me taking photos. We began to talk about the protests, about what led us here, and about the importance of taking care of one another. He was a musician, in his late twenties to early thirties, who'd been traveling the country while writing new material. When he arrived to Portland, his local friends were already protesting, and he instantly joined them that day. At the time we spoke, he had been out there for 3 days, had already been tear gassed twice, and had no intention of leaving anytime soon. He gave me a crash course in how to handle being tear gassed, and told me to come find him if I needed extra tear gas solution. I thanked him, and we continued on our ways.
Above: Lownsdale Square, a discarded sign reads "Feds have Little Pee Pee's"
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: Northern side of the US District Court building, on Salmon Street. Protesters have adorned the courthouse fence with flowers and signs. One reads, "Defund the Police, they don't give a fuck about you."
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: Southern side of the SW 3rd & Salmon Tower. Shadows fall upon the city, as red graffitti reads "Everything has Changed"
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
After capturing this image, I began to hear commotion and shouts, so I rushed to the source of the sound. On the west side of the US District Court Building, contractors were beginning to reinforce the courthouse fence. Days prior, on July 22nd, Portland city attorneys sent a cease-and-desist letter to the federal agency controlling the courthouse, threatening major fines if the fence wasn't removed. On July 18th, when the federally funded fence was initially erected, protestors tore it down, later barricading the courthouse doors with the pieces. Thusly, seeing it reinforced brought forth many justified outcries from the crowd, their voices ringing out in disgust, disappointment, and frustration.
Above: Outside of the US District Court Building, protesters scold a maskless contractor for reinforcing the federal courthouse fence.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: Outside of the US District Court Building, protesters scold a maskless contractor for reinforcing the federal courthouse fence.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: Outside of the US District Court Building, protesters scold a maskless contractor for reinforcing the federal courthouse fence.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Afterward, protesters stood firm on SW 3rd Street, making their voices heard while filming and documenting the contractors repairing the federal fence. Others congregated in Lownsdale Square, continuing to share meals and pass out supplies, providing a sense of true comradery. At this point, I spoke with people throughout the square, all expressing their disdain for the federal occupation, and their desire for real change to be made. Their dedication to the cause was unwavering. From here, I decided to continue walking the city streets, documenting as I went. What followed was a powerful display, where outside of Pioneer Place Shopping Mall, barricades were turned into art, poetry, and public forum.
Above: Outside of the Pioneer Place Shopping Mall, barricades are turned into art, poetry, and public forum.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: Outside of the Pioneer Place Louis Vuitton, barricades are turned into art, poetry, and public forum.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: Outside of the Pioneer Place Louis Vuitton, barricades are turned into art, poetry, and public forum.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: Outside of the Pioneer Place H&M, barricades are turned into art, poetry, and public forum.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: Outside of the Pioneer Place Shopping Mall, barricades are turned into art, poetry, and public forum.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: Outside of the Pioneer Place Apple Store, barricades are turned into art, poetry, and public forum. @FlatRabbitStudio is the artist behind this mural.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
Above: Outside of the Pioneer Place Apple Store, barricades are turned into art, poetry, and public forum. @FlatRabbitStudio is the artist behind this mural.
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
The amount of unprecedented Police killings in the United States is staggering. In 2020, there have only been 12 days in the United States where police did not kill anyone. Many of the reasons why Portlanders protest are not unique to Oregon alone. Where I'm from, in Oklahoma City, the OKCPD kills Black men at higher rates than the US murder rate. In OKC, Black men are killed at 6.6x the rate of white men, while Latinx men are killed at 1.6x the rate of white men. This is a tragedy, and an ongoing issue with police departments across the United States. I encourage you to look up statistics for your own city, or state. The Black Lives Matter movement has brought to light the issues of police brutality, systemic racism, and inequality throughout our nation. No matter what crime a person may commit, it is not the police's job to murder a citizen.
"Law and Order" is a phrase repeated by many leaders, politicians, and even some of the common people, citing a shallowly perceived need for a firm hand and strict rule. Yet, I propose the question; what happens when the law becomes this corrupt? What order can we achieve whenever Black people are repeatedly killed in the streets? What liberty or justice is there in a federal occupation in response to justified protest? What democracy is there whenever our sitting President tells white supremacists to "Stand By", while Anti-Fascists are deemed terrorists? I wish I had all of the answers. What I do know, is that through activism, consistent effort, and due political change, we can begin to put policies in place for a better tomorrow for marginalized individuals, rather than the top percentage of society alone. In the meantime, we must keep working, keep moving, and keep fighting for what is right through our actions every day.
Above: Lownsdale Square, a posted sign reads, "Respect existence or expect resistance", along with "Off the Pigs".
July 26th, 2020 - Copyright Victoria Varga
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