“This is partially a psychological warfare tactic.”
By Tess Riski, June 2, 2021
About 45 minutes before sunset on May 25—the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd—approximately 100 protesters gathered outside of the Multnomah County Justice Center in downtown Portland. Many followed the typical dress code: black shirt, black pants, black mask.
The sea of identity-concealing dark clothing, known as “black bloc,” provides a sense of anonymity and uniformity that can be further enhanced by rules that ban livestreamers and restrict the press.
But protesters’ ability to camouflage themselves cuts both ways: Somebody in or near the crowd was talking to the cops.
