Portland, Oregon – This city continued to be a highlight in nationwide protests for racial justice and against police brutality as the largest crowd in weeks gathered on Monday night, reports CBS Portland affiliate KOIN-TV. But federal authorities used tear gas for the seventh consecutive night, as well as sudden explosions and other crowd control ammunition against protesters in the center.
KOIN reporters witnessed protesters and federal officials clash near SW 3rd Avenue and Main Street and saw authorities use pepper balls and launch tear gas canisters and sudden explosions.
Portland police said Tuesday on social media that local law enforcement personnel were using tear gas and that hundreds of protesters had dispersed through the surrounding streets, adding that some were “throwing projectiles” and ” armed with hammers and other weapons. ” “
It was not clear if any protesters were arrested or detained.
Before federal officials used force against protesters, a movement of mothers and fathers drew hundreds of parents dressed in yellow and orange, respectively, first to Salmon Street Springs, and then to federal court and the neighboring Justice Center.
People have been galvanized by the presence of federal officials deployed by President Trump to protect federal property. Their presence and use of force have been condemned by local and state leaders.
More than 1,000 people had gathered on SW 3rd Avenue at 10 pm. People took turns speaking to the crowd, which responded with cheers and chants. At one point, protesters erupted into a song: “If black lives matter, applaud.”
Federal authorities deployed tear gas and other crowd control ammunition after they rushed out of the courthouse around 12:30 am when protesters knocked on a bricked up door and removed some plywood. That removed hundreds of protesters from the Justice Center and the federal court area.
KOIN digital reporter Hannah Ray Lambert was onstage all night tweeting videos like this:
Protesters and federal officials continued to clash around the courthouse and in the surrounding parks. Authorities used pepper balls and sudden explosions in addition to throwing tear gas canisters as they worked to repair a damaged bricked door to the courthouse, while protesters yelled and kicked the cans.
At 1:30 am, the federal authorities had returned to court. KOIN reporters saw some protesters cheer and throw some items into the building, to which federal officials responded by shooting peppercorns through a hole in the plywood.
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