N13 Liveblog

ALERT: I was trying to sneak some sleep, but shit has hit the fan. Adam Rothstein here, reporting.

5:20 PM – GA is continuing at Pioneer Square. Okay, folks. Now Im tapped out. And I have to travel tomorrow! Ending this live blog here. Hopefully things will be peaceful now until Occupy City Hall, tomorrow. With any luck, someone else will pick up blogging duties. For current info, follow the #OPDX hashtag on Twitter.

5:11 PM – Front line at 4th decided, with consensus, to go to Pioneer Square. Now all protesters are in Pioneer Square. I gave Denis Therault a pat on the shoulder. Hes been live reporting this for over 30 hours without sleep.

4:58 PM – Crowd now split, half heading to Pioneer Square, North on 6th, and another part still at 4th and Main.

4:56 PM – Police are backed up now, forming coherent line on East side of 4th and Main intersection.

4:54 PM – Police interrupted GA with their PA. In leiu of decision, the crowd started chanting Pioneer Square! and is moving West. About 100 protesters holding the line at 4th an Main.

4:43 PM – Choices for moving suggested: PSU park blocks, Waterfront Park, Washington High School, Pioneer Square.

4:38 PM – Coordinating a pull back with those on the front line, but no movement yet. Front line is receptive, but seems like they want a good plan before they give up any ground.

4:36 PM – Cheers for people on the front line. Double human mic in action to try and include them in the GA, which is 30 feet or so back.

4:35 PM – Report from scanner saying that 6 (six!) officers are being stationed in each park! to preempt other occupations.

4:30 PM – Probably about 500 people here. Many seem to be participating in the GA.

4:26 PM – GA has decided to leave, but not yet decided where to go.

4:02 PM – Hearing reports of a Trimet bus full of police in the area. GA is discussing the concern of being kettled in Main St between Portland Building and Courthouse. Im on the sidewalk, but Im concerned about this.

3:51 PM – Police have turned on one of the floodlights on the other side. Cops are moving up.

3:39 PM – I havent mentioned it in the excitement, but both park blocks are surrounded by chain link fence. I have also heard police are cutting out the people locked in Terry Schrunk.

3:36 PM – A tent has been placed at Main and 4th. Im hearing more about the raid at the GA, which was actually in Chapman Square. The cops showed up without warning, and began pushing people out of the square. Thats when the majority of the arrests took place. People locked arms, and they were beaten with batons, and dragged away. One protester was hospitalized because of those beatings.

3:31 PM – calls for a GA right here, in main St. Heard a cop say that people will be arrested if they dont clear the streets.

3:20 PM – At 4th and Main. Police have street blocked off to West crosswalk, wont allow people to walk on sidewalk on 4th North or South. Most people on street on Main between 4th and 5th.

2:53 PM – Heres what we know: the noon GA at Pioneer Square was raided, at least one protester was injured and transported by ambulance, and there were maybe two dozen arrests. Protesters are now back in Main St, maybe a few hundred of them. Im headed back downtown now, and will post as soon as I know more.