The killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police has brought thousands of Oregonians into the streets in recent days. And not all the demonstrations have been in Portland or Eugene. People upset with the status quo have gathered in Medford, Ashland, Hermiston, Pendleton and Klamath Falls.
Freddie Brigham goes by the stage name Wreck the Rebel.
Sage Van Wing/OPB
One man who didn’t expect to find himself demonstrating in the streets of Klamath Falls Sunday night is Frederick Brigham, a musician and artist who goes by the name “Wreck the Rebel.” But he told OPB’s "Morning Edition" that in advance of the rally, he heard what he calls “false narratives” about what might happen at the protest.
”People said that there was a lot of Antifa vans, that they were going to bus people in from Portland and other places to come burn down the town and come riot and cause violence," Wreck said, "and I didn’t believe that to be true.”
Wreck said that didn’t happen, and the demonstration was mostly calm. He said counter-protesters did show up; some appeared intoxicated and acted belligerent. The police were there, mostly friendly, Wreck remembered.
He said as a black man living in a largely white community, he wanted to support the other protesters – especially the many women in the crowd, and elderly people.
“It’s eye-opening that so many people of all races could come together and stand for love: it’s white people, Mexican people, Asian people, black people, Native American people, all coming together and loving each other,” he said.
Wreck took away from the activism a sense of hope.
“It’s never going to be 100%, but I’d like to see the love increase, and that’s everywhere. Because when the love increases, things like police officers killing people would happen less.”