This is an account of someone who lives up in Oregon, about an incident that recently happened. It shocks one to read that this is something that could happen to anyone of us who is so inclined to reach out, like we should, to counter the evil and decline that we find ourselves in:
A young Quaker pacifist, Jacob Hoopes, who recently took part in a protest against ICE, was arrested in a violent FBI raid on his Oregon home. Here is the account from his partner:
"To my dear neighbors, friends, and family:
First and foremost, thank you from the depths of my heart for the emotional and material support shown to both me and Jacob over the past 24 hours. We are both so thankful to the community around us that are holding us up during a traumatic time. I'm writing this letter to share my story and provide a status update on Jacob's well being. For safety reasons, I will not be providing details related to Jacob's case. I do not speak on Jacob's behalf, nor my roommate's. This is my version of events.
At around 9 a.m. on Friday morning, July 25th, Jacob and I looked out our bedroom window to see a flood of armed officers race into our driveway and charge at our house with assault rifles. We quickly put on the first clothes we could grab and heard pounding and screaming on our door. Because everyone in my household is a safe, caring person, I was convinced they had the wrong house and couldn't understand what could warrant this kind of threat to our lives. Jacob attempted to ask through the window if the police had a warrant, and they responded by aiming laser reactive targets on his body, threatening his life.
I told Jacob to open the door because I feared we would die if we continued to ask for a warrant. Jacob opened the door with his hands up, empty-handed, and I and my roommate followed. We were screamed at, handcuffed, and put on the street in our underwear. There were about 20 FBI agents surrounding our house in unmarked vehicles, and several local Portland police officers. Jacob was put in the back of a car. I could not speak with him. We were not shown a warrant at this time.
We were finally told that Jacob was being accused of "assaulting a federal officer" at an ICE protest. I cannot discuss this accusation due to the case being active, but I will speak on Jacob's character. Jacob is a pacifist Quaker who is the most compassionate, loving, gentle person I have ever met. I am made a better person by my relationship with Jacob. He cares deeply about people, his community, and those who are vulnerable to injustice. For him to be treated as dangerous by dozens of armed federal officers is insane and corrupt. He and I also recognize the privilege we hold in being white, able-bodied people living in a "nice" neighborhood. If our bodies looked different, or if we lived within a different zip code, our situation could have been much more deadly. After Jacob was taken away, my roommate and I were provided with a few clothes but left handcuffed on our porch, while being reminded we could "leave at any time". FBI agents made snide remarks about our house and attempted to make jokes and ridiculous conversation while I was crying and shaking from adrenaline and anxiety. If we did not respond to their jokes or attempts at meaningless conversation, they laughed with each other and spoke as if they did not give a fuck about the terror they were causing us. All while repeatedly reminding us of how "nice" they're being. They accused me of having "blood" on a pair of my shoes sitting in my bedroom, which was splattered orange clay from my work as a preschool teacher. They seized some of our property to submit as "evidence" and I left before they finished their investigation to protect my own wellbeing.
Jacob is being held in jail over the weekend and expects to see a judge on Monday, 7/28. We are lucky to have the resources to support him with a good lawyer. I have personally been able to speak with Jacob once over the phone, during which he expressed his fear, confusion, and disgust with the treatment toward people held at the MCSO. He has since been transferred to the Multnomah County Inverness Jail due to staffing shortages, which is less crowded and has a calmer environment. Jacob got emotional over the phone while I told him of the huge amount of support everyone has expressed over the past 24 hours. Again, thank you so much.
It's so important to remember that this is not just about me or Jacob, but instead the larger evil of fascism, which seeks to destroy vulnerable communities.
Being a white advocate offers certain protections compared to being an advocate of color due to the realities of systemic racism and racial privilege. Unfortunately, our bodies are perceived as less of a threat. It is necessary for white people to engage in advocacy, and this often means putting ourselves in harm's way. Jacob knows this, and I know this. Fascists use fear to boost their own power, distract the people, and silence vulnerable communities. We cannot allow fear to slow down the hard work it takes to dismantle evil systems like ICE, which does nothing but terrorize, harm, and kill our people."
****
Juan Matute
The Harold Wilke House
Claremont, California
Humpty Trumpty Shat on His Wall
No comments:
Post a Comment