Protesters in Portland, who have now spent more than 100 nights demonstrating, ostensibly, against racism and police brutality, with burning mattresses, fireworks, and heavy hand-held projectiles, have debuted another tactic in their arsenal: rap music.
Sunday night, protesters gathered in a residential area of north Portland for what quickly became a riot, as demonstrators, intent on burning a police-affiliated building, dragged a mattress into the street and set it on fire, building a bonfire just outside their intended target.
As police showed up to try to contain the incident, Portland’s protesters challenged law enforcement to a “rap battle” — an incident captured on video by guerilla social media reporter Brenden Gutenschwager (also known as @BGOnTheScene) and amplified by reporter Andy Ngo, who has been covering Antifa-aligned riots across the country.
“If you was a man,” one protester says to a cop, who appears non-plussed, “you would grab the microphone & you would f***ing rap.”
“If you was a man, you would grab the microphone & you would f—ing rap.”
Some person at the BLM-antifa Portland protest is rapping his confrontation with police. pic.twitter.com/4Vz3kvtvPb
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) September 7, 2020
The cop does not, in fact, want to engage in the rap battle.
Expanding their musical offerings, as the mattress bonfire burned, Portland protesters debuted their latest rap single, “F*** Ted Wheeler” — a direct reference to Portland’s mayor who, at one point, not only noted his support for the peaceful demonstrations but even took part in one.
Independent journalist Tayler Hansen captured footage of the performance.
Far-left protesters march to the @PortlandPolice north precinct, start a street fire & begin dancing. They’re playing their new “F— Ted Wheeler” rap song. Video by @TaylerUSA. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/yZjNvWflaJ
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) September 7, 2020
“F*** Ted Wheeler, Ted Wheeler, I’m in the streets like a f***ing drug dealer,” blasts over the loudspeaker as the shirtless demonstrator dances around the mattress.
Oddly enough, this latest hit single is not the first “protest rap” to emerge from the Portland demonstrations. According to Willamette Week, which covers the alternative scene in the Pacific Northwest, a “quintet” of amateur Portland rappers, inspired by the unrest, penned a protest song called “Dear Portland Police.”
“The song and its music video were released by Swiggle Mandela, who supplies the hook: ‘Dear Portland Police, I just want my peace,’ he raps. ‘We don’t f*** with pork/You don’t want the beef,'” Willamette Week reports. “The song also includes verses by veteran Portland rapper Cool Nutz, Mandela’s older brother Jasey Cordeta, and Kool Chief Rocker, aka Micah Fletcher.”
The music video was filmed in front of a boarded-up Apple store, apparently for effect.
The most notable observation of the night came from a motorist — a black woman — who ordered the largely white group of protesters to get out of her way as she was driving through north Portland.
‘You’re setting fires in the streets?” she asks, as protesters order her to turn around and avoid the demonstration. “Get out of my way!”
“You’re setting fires in the streets?” asks a black female driver tonight who is stopped by antifa rioters in north Portland. “Get out of my way!” She refuses to follow their orders. Video by @BGOnTheScene. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/pd3cSN0Ikx
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) September 7, 2020
Portland Police note that they made 15 arrests Sunday night, mostly for “interfering with a peace officer” and “reckless burning,” both of which appear to be depicted in videos above. At least one person was taken into custody for possessing a “flammable liquid” and at least two protesters were armed, though with crude weapons.