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For those who missed it, this weekend involved yet another clash between the alt-right and Antifa, where left-leaning protestors handed out vegan milkshakes — the hottest form of goofy weaponry among leftists. As coconut milkshakes flew through the air and landed on various Proud Boys and one prominent conservative writer, the Portland Police tweeted that some of the milkshakes “contained quick-drying cement.”
This tweet went viral, picked up by national news outlets like NBC and CBS, as well as Senator Ted Cruz. However, Portland Police hasn’t released any physical evidence supporting that claim, Portland Mercury reports. According to a statement from police, a lieutenant saw (and smelled) what they thought was quick-drying cement in a milkshake cup and the tweet went live; organizers claim this is... just how a coconut milkshake looks?
Popular Mobilization, a queer-friendly, anti-alt-right group passed out the shakes, posting the recipe on Twitter; outside of the “cute queers in booty shorts,” the milkshakes require little more than coconut milk ice cream and cashew milk.
We hear folks are dying to know what was in our delicious, vegan shakes today! We are happy to share our secret recipe, but you have to follow it exactly to get the desired results! In honor of the 50th anniversary, we are calling it the STONEWALL SHAKE! #Stonewall50 pic.twitter.com/DakD2T2Bdr
— (Pop)ular (Mob)ilization (@PopMobPDX) June 30, 2019
It appears that one officer's recognition that a coconut milkshake looks a little like wet cement convinced PPB to spread this allegation. https://t.co/wAoZSNl2Lp
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) July 1, 2019
Twitter users have posted tweets and pictures drinking the milkshakes to show that they, in fact, survived drinking the concrete-less mixture. However, an anonymous email account did send Portland Police an alternate, more violent recipe for the shakes after the initial tweet, which involved “Quick Rete Cement Mix” and “Other Chemical Additives to cause long term injury and burns.”
Katie Shepherd, a reporter for Willamette Week, has been sharing specific information she’s received from city officials and police via Twitter; most recently, she tweeted that the mayor’s public safety advisor, Robert King, says people are “filing police reports regarding this allegation,” and that some people have reported “irritation” in their eyes after being hit with a milkshake. King told the Mercury that reporting on the claims of cement milkshakes was an “operational necessity,” that “sharing that in an abundance of caution for our community is a responsible step.” He also says that he doesn’t think police collected any actual physical evidence to test whether the milkshakes were, in fact, tainted.
The mayor’s advisor on public safety, Robert King, doubled down im defense of the “cement milkshake” Tweet. He says an unnamed individual reported irritation of the eyes after being hit with a milkshake. Emphasizes the anonymous email mentioned below again. https://t.co/pdPXDV0Zi6
— Katie Shepherd (@katemshepherd) July 1, 2019
Alex Frane assisted in the reporting of this story.
• Portland Police Offer No Proof That Protesters Had Milkshakes with “Quick-Dry Cement” [Merc]
• Mayor’s Office: Portland Police Decision to Share Cement Milkshake Rumor Was “Responsible” [Merc]
• Clashes between right-wing demonstrations and antifa turn into civil disturbance in Portland [CBS]
• Demonstrators clash in Portland, Oregon, police warn about ‘concrete milkshakes’ [NBC]
• Milkshakes, Eggs, and Other Throwable Protest Foods, Ranked [Eater]