Officer Jakhary Jackson, a member of Portland police’s rapid response team says he been subjected to racial slurs by white protesters. (Photo: KGW Screen Shot)
Black police officers in Portland, OR, are being subjected to racist taunts from white Black Lives Matter demonstrators, one of the officers says.
Officer Jakhary Jackson, a member of Portland police’s rapid response team that has responded to ongoing, often violent, protests for nearly 50 straight days, said what he’s seen has been downright “frightening” as he detailed some of the encounters during a July 9 police briefing, the New York Post reports.
“You have white people screaming (racial slurs) at black officers," said Jackson, a nine-year department vet.
Officer Jackson talks about being a black police officer working at the demonstrations in Portland, Oregon. pic.twitter.com/ZtIjQ7AMaO
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) July 15, 2020
Jackson, who graduated from Portland State University with a history degree, said the situation has been “actually frightening” given his own educational background.
“It’s been very eye-opening,” Jackson said during the briefing, adding that he’s witnessed more minorities among his counterparts than within the crowds of “violent” protesters.
Jackson said he’s also been told by “privileged white” protesters to quit his job and that he’s hurting his community more than helping it.
“And you don’t even know what I’ve dealt with, what these white officers that you’re screaming at … you don’t know them, you don’t know anything about them,” Jackson said.
