Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists chastised hotel guests in downtown Portland on Wednesday night for closing their blinds during a vigil for a black man who was shot by police two years ago — A grand jury determined that the officers involved in the fatal incident were justified in their use of deadly force.
“It is incredibly disrespectful for all of you to be up here. And you are so privileged. There is a memorial for a man who was killed and you think it’s more important to watch TV,” a protester said. “That is their priority. So get your priorities straight. This isn’t a joke.”
“This is our life. I see them opening and closing their blinds like this is an inconvenience for you. My life is an inconvenience for some people, and that shit is not ok. It makes me so angry. It makes me so angry,” she added to mass applause:
The hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Portland on Wednesday evening to honor Patrick Kimmons, a 27-year-old black man who was shot by police. According to reports, two officers were patrolling an area with suspected gang activity and responded to the sound of gunshots. Kimmons reportedly shot two men who were fighting and failed to heed officers’ calls to drop his weapon and put his hands up. A Multnomah County grand jury ultimately determined that the officers were justified in their actions.
OPB reported at the time:
Sgt. Garry Britt and Officer Jeffery Livingston will not face criminal charges for the fatal shooting of Patrick Kimmons, who the two officers shot after responding to a fight.
Police say Kimmons fired five shots in the early-morning fight, injuring two people. They went to a local hospital with “serious, but not life-threatening injuries,” according to police. Officers and witnesses say Kimmons was shot after running toward officers with a revolver in his hand. Witnesses say officers yelled commands at Kimmons as they shot. Police fired 12 rounds and say they recovered a gun near Kimmons.
That narrative, contained in police reports released Wednesday, contradicts Kimmons’ family’s assertion that he was shot in the back up to 15 times. At least one witness said Kimmons’ back was toward officers at one point, and that a firearm was “clearly visible” in Kimmons’ right hand.
This is not the first time BLM activists have harassed onlookers. In August, BLM protesters heckled D.C. restaurant patrons, shouting “white silence is violence” and demanding that they raise their fist in solidarity with the movement, as Breitbart News detailed:
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