Portland officials declared a riot in the city during demonstrations Saturday night after the police union office caught fire.
Protesters broke into the Portland Police Association Office on Saturday at about 11.35pm and started a fire, causing Portland police to call the rally a riot “because of criminal activity in the crowd.” Video surveillance conquered the fire that was set.
Protesters also set up a fence, threw dumpsters into the street, set a dumpster on fire, painted the office and destroyed security cameras, according to a release of police.
A riot was declared after a group broke into the @PPAVigil offices, started a fire, and continued to feed the fire more fuel. This is a very dangerous situation. Officers moved the public so the fire could be extinguished before it could grow out of control. https://t.co/GyBrgqcK0e
– Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) August 9, 2020
Police ordered “all people, including members of the press and legal observers” to leave the area if there was a risk of arrests, quotes as agents for control of people such as tear gas. Oregon State Police helped disperse the crowd.
“They were met with a hostile crowd that started throwing glass bottles and balloons at them,” the release states. “The hostile public also tried to injure officers by shining green lasers in their eyes, which is a crime in Oregon.”
Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck. Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck. After 300 protesters gathered in Kenton Park, police ordered all people to leave, and most of the crowd was gone by 2 p.m.
Those in Kenton Park: This is a riot. The park is closed according to Portland City Code. All people, including members of the press and legal observers, should leave Kenton Park and the Kenton Neighborhood immediately. Cont ..
– Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) August 9, 2020
Three officers were injured Saturday, two of whom were transported to hospitals and then released. Police also said several arrests were made. Portland Fire and Rescue put out the fire inside the police union office.
Several other groups marched peacefully in other areas of the city, and police did not interact with them, police noted.
Friday’s demonstrations resulted in 24 arrests after protesters remained at the Penumbra Kelly Building after police told them not to do so. When the arrests took place, police said protesters threw rocks and concrete and shot lasers in the eyes of officers.
Later, the club threw frozen as hard-boiled eggs, rocks and commercial-grade fireworks at officers. A trooper from Oregon State Police suffered a head injury after being hit by a large rock, police said.
Protesters also fill swimming pool noodles with nails in roads “in an attempt to damage the tires of police cars. ”
Protests continued this weekend after more than 70 days of demonstrations in the city following the death of George Floyd in a police rally in Minneapolis. The weekend’s protests were smaller than last month, when thousands showed up when the Trump administration sent federal authorities to stop the demonstrations.
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