In early July, the Trump administration sent federal forces to Portland, Oregon, to "bring order" to protests that began after the death of George Floyd. And now, the deployments are happening in other cities across the country. The unidentified officers, often clad in military-style camouflage, have used violent tactics against protestors and, in some cases, have pulled people off the street and placed them into unmarked minivans. It's an experience that's eerily similar to that of Juniper Simonis, a 35-year-old protestor who was detained a few weeks ago. This is their story. My story of being arrested begins the way no arrest story ever should: On July 10, I was violently apprehended for drawing with chalk on a sidewalk.
After George Floyd was murdered, there were a number of protests that sprang up around Portland. I knew I wanted to show support. At the first few protests I went to, I saw cops releasing tear gas on people. I understood pretty quickly that law enforcement officers were rioting against protestors and I knew I needed a game plan to keep myself safe. I'm 6'2". I'm loud and sassy and visibly trans. I have a service dog named Wallace who looks like a Muppet. Like, I don't blend in. I decided to use surveyor's chalk to mark off property where protestors, like me, were allowed to stand and express their First Amendment rights without being accused of trespassing.
That Friday, I'm drawing the line, looking around to see what other spots I should mark off, and that's when the storm troopers snuck up on me and literally snatched me off the street. They said nothing. They didn't say "Stop" or "What are you doing?" or "You're under arrest." They just grabbed me.
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