benjamin melançon
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word on the street
#PDX
It's Going Down
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New- article from this past weekend is out now where a rally organized by a coalition of labor unions and community members turned violent when federal agents unleashed tear gas, rubber bullets, and other munitions on Portlanders, including young children, highlighting the deepening militarization of law enforcement and the community’s unwavering resistance.
I spoke with multiple people who were on the ground, including a street medic who said “I’ve been working in this field for over 8 years now and I’ve seen a lot of shit, but that was truly one of the most terrible things I’ve witnessed and I never thought that I’d have to see actual children getting gassed like that, but here we are I suppose.”
“This couple with a stroller emerged from the cloud with their maybe 2 or 3 year old daughter sitting barely conscious in that stroller. The parents were coughing and could barely walk, couldn’t see anything, this poor little girl was covered in her own vomit and sputum and mucus was pouring from her nose. She was just sitting there barely conscious, wheezing heavily, barely breathing through the wheezing…”
The medic told me that they had treated at least four children that day, adding "I’m never ever going to forget the sounds of those kids wailing in pain hacking up a lung in full panic mode. It was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen in my 8+ years of street medicine and EMS work."
https://www.wewillfreeus.org/portlands-labor-against-ice-march-faces-brutal-federal-response/
word on the street
#PDX
New- article from this past weekend is out now where a rally organized by a coalition of labor unions and community members turned violent when federal agents unleashed tear gas, rubber bullets, and other munitions on Portlanders, including young children, highlighting the deepening militarization of law enforcement and the community’s unwavering resistance.
I spoke with multiple people who were on the ground, including a street medic who said “I’ve been working in this field for over 8 years now and I’ve seen a lot of shit, but that was truly one of the most terrible things I’ve witnessed and I never thought that I’d have to see actual children getting gassed like that, but here we are I suppose.”
“This couple with a stroller emerged from the cloud with their maybe 2 or 3 year old daughter sitting barely conscious in that stroller. The parents were coughing and could barely walk, couldn’t see anything, this poor little girl was covered in her own vomit and sputum and mucus was pouring from her nose. She was just sitting there barely conscious, wheezing heavily, barely breathing through the wheezing…”
The medic told me that they had treated at least four children that day, adding "I’m never ever going to forget the sounds of those kids wailing in pain hacking up a lung in full panic mode. It was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen in my 8+ years of street medicine and EMS work."
https://www.wewillfreeus.org/portlands-labor-against-ice-march-faces-brutal-federal-response/
Michael Dexter
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PDX privacy wonks! The Portland City Council will do a second reading of an ordinance to establish a City Data and Privacy Office this Thursday 2/5 at 2 pm - https://www.portland.gov/council/agenda#toc-thursday-february-5-2026-2-00-pm
If you want to have a say about the ordinance, it looks like you have time to submit a written comment.
Alex, the Hearth Fire
boosted
As much as I would love to keep Old Hank Blue, I do need to sell the bike. (Among others. We just don't have room for all of them. I'm keeping one bike for sure; it's Rusty the HardRock.)
If you are local, and you or someone you know is seriously interested, feel free to reach out.
I'll send you a screenshot of my project spreadsheet for the bike with the cost breakdown. Please note, I am not charging for my labor on this one.
Happy to schedule a test ride!
PDX privacy wonks! The Portland City Council will do a second reading of an ordinance to establish a City Data and Privacy Office this Thursday 2/5 at 2 pm - https://www.portland.gov/council/agenda#toc-thursday-february-5-2026-2-00-pm
If you want to have a say about the ordinance, it looks like you have time to submit a written comment.
Chris Espinosa
and 4 others
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TRO against federal agents use of force has been GRANTED!
There was a hearing today where a judge ruled in favor of and granted a temporary restraining order against the feds in Portland, OR using chemical weapons and excessive force after multiple lawsuits were filed after this weekend, including from a march of over 5,000 people on Saturday where young children got teargassed, and Sunday night where over 500 people protested at the ICE facility and without warning the feds gassed a large portion of the city.
The TRO blocks federal officers from using “chemical or projectile munitions,” including pepper balls, tear gas and other crowd control munitions “unless the specific target of such a weapon or device poses an imminent threat of physical harm to a law enforcement officer or other person.”
“In a well-functioning constitutional democratic republic, free speech, courageous newsgathering, and nonviolent protest are all permitted, respected, and even celebrated. In an authoritarian regime, that is not the case,” U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon wrote in a 22-page temporary restraining order, which you can read here: https://www.opb.org/pdf/Dickinson%20v_1770160054941.pdf
The ruling also blocks federal officers from firing munitions or using weapons directed “at the head, neck, or torso of any person, unless the officer is legally justified in using deadly force against that person.”
“The temporary restraining order goes into effect for 14 days and could be renewed. Simon has scheduled a hearing on the underlying lawsuit for March 2, where he’ll take testimony from witnesses. That evidence could form a basis for an injunction should the judge deem it necessary.”
- https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/03/judge-limits-federal-officer-use-of-force-portland-ice-protesters/
TRO against federal agents use of force has been GRANTED!
There was a hearing today where a judge ruled in favor of and granted a temporary restraining order against the feds in Portland, OR using chemical weapons and excessive force after multiple lawsuits were filed after this weekend, including from a march of over 5,000 people on Saturday where young children got teargassed, and Sunday night where over 500 people protested at the ICE facility and without warning the feds gassed a large portion of the city.
The TRO blocks federal officers from using “chemical or projectile munitions,” including pepper balls, tear gas and other crowd control munitions “unless the specific target of such a weapon or device poses an imminent threat of physical harm to a law enforcement officer or other person.”
“In a well-functioning constitutional democratic republic, free speech, courageous newsgathering, and nonviolent protest are all permitted, respected, and even celebrated. In an authoritarian regime, that is not the case,” U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon wrote in a 22-page temporary restraining order, which you can read here: https://www.opb.org/pdf/Dickinson%20v_1770160054941.pdf
The ruling also blocks federal officers from firing munitions or using weapons directed “at the head, neck, or torso of any person, unless the officer is legally justified in using deadly force against that person.”
“The temporary restraining order goes into effect for 14 days and could be renewed. Simon has scheduled a hearing on the underlying lawsuit for March 2, where he’ll take testimony from witnesses. That evidence could form a basis for an injunction should the judge deem it necessary.”
- https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/03/judge-limits-federal-officer-use-of-force-portland-ice-protesters/
I had lunch, then decided to get outside for some fresh air. Then thought, the heck with it. Grabbed my helmet and Old Hank Blue, the 80's Schwinn Typhoon. Went for the inaugural test ride. I rode down to a park near our home.
The bike did very well! My knees, not so much. I may need to raise the saddle a tad.
I'm home now. I was immediately taken cat hostage as soon as I sat down.
Overall, I'm going to call it a success. Will post more pictures on my Buy Me a Coffee page soon.
2 media
As much as I would love to keep Old Hank Blue, I do need to sell the bike. (Among others. We just don't have room for all of them. I'm keeping one bike for sure; it's Rusty the HardRock.)
If you are local, and you or someone you know is seriously interested, feel free to reach out.
I'll send you a screenshot of my project spreadsheet for the bike with the cost breakdown. Please note, I am not charging for my labor on this one.
Happy to schedule a test ride!
[OLD FOOTAGE/NOT RECENT]
All this talk of chemical weapons lately reminded me of that two-week(ish) span of time at the end of January 2021 when the feds down at the ICE facility in Portland were spraying people with some kind of teargas using this weird tool that, iirc, was some kind of pesticide fogger that they decided to use to unleash chemical warfare.
There was no way to know what kind of chemicals they were using on us as there were no canisters left behind. People were guessing by the taste, smell, and symptoms.
der.hans
and 1 other
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Esther Payne :bisexual_flag:
and 1 other
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The image below is of Rep Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D, WA3) US Congresswoman from SW Washington. In between the murder of Renee Good on 7 January and the murder of Alex Pretti on 24 January, Gluesenkamp was one of 7 democrats who voted to fund ICE. The bill would not have passed without them.
She and her husband own Dean's Car Care on NE Lombard in Portland.
The image below is of Rep Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D, WA3) US Congresswoman from SW Washington. In between the murder of Renee Good on 7 January and the murder of Alex Pretti on 24 January, Gluesenkamp was one of 7 democrats who voted to fund ICE. The bill would not have passed without them.
She and her husband own Dean's Car Care on NE Lombard in Portland.