The most important image you will see of Portland

As the impeached Donald Trump uses Portland as a testing ground for sending in federal goon squads, the media play into his hands, focusing narrowly on the images that make it seem the entire city is in flames. Dirk VanderHart is one of many local reporters who have been live tweeting from the site of the protests, and he’s worth following. But the second photo, from last night, is the most important image of Portland you will see.

Schrunk Plaza is surprisingly and delightfully chill. pic.twitter.com/aRWBzwrf4y

— Dirk VanderHart (@dirquez) July 22, 2020

Schrunk Plaza is at most a five minute walk from the protest site, which is at the Hatfield Courthouse. Here it is on Google Maps. The building you see behind the plaza is the Edith Green — Wendell Wyatt Federal Building, identified on the map for its IRS headquarters.

The protests are taking place in a tiny area of a city that is otherwise normal, for whatever normal means during the Trump pandemic and economic crisis. There have also been protests in a couple other small areas. But that’s it. The bulk of Portland is just going about its business.

In the area of the protests, some stupid vandalism has taken place, such as the damage done to a statue of an elk— seriously!— but the only real violence has been inflicted by Trump’s goons. 

Fox had a chyron describing Portland as “chaos and carnage.” Trump the Impeached and his minions make it seem a war zone. It’s not. The media would do well to send some camera crews pretty much anywhere else in the city, other than the few blocks around the protests. And even the protest site wouldn’t be that bad, if not for Trump’s goons.

The president and federal officials have said their goal is to crack down and end these protests. Legit dance party happening in front of the courthouse right now, is how that’s working. pic.twitter.com/qw3pAPazsG

— Dirk VanderHart (@dirquez) July 22, 2020