The Portland protests were declared riots early Sunday morning when thousands of people raped a federal courthouse where federal agents are stationed, according to police.
Throughout the night, on the 59th consecutive day of protests in Oregon City, police fired tear gas in violent clashes with protesters who retaliated with fireworks, authorities said, with at least 26 arrests.
They declared riots in the first hours after “thousands” gathered in federal court and the Justice Center and tore down part of the fence, the Portland Police Bureau said.
“Throughout the night, some people in this crowd spent their time shaking the fence around the building, throwing rocks, bottles, and a variety of debris on the fence, throwing lasers through the fence, firing explosive fireworks at the blocked area by the fence and using power tools to try to get through the fence, ”the bureau said in a statement.
“People wore gas masks, carried shields, hockey sticks, leaf blowers, flags, and umbrellas specifically to thwart the police in dispersing crowds or to try to hide criminal acts. People against the fence sprayed unknown liquids through it toward the courthouse. People tied the rope to the fence and tried to pull it down, ”the office said.
“At approximately 1:03 a.m., people in the crowd tied a chain to the fence and, with many people pulling, managed to knock down a section,” the bureau said, as protesters also lit fires in the street.
“People climbed the fence to approach federal court. People continued to launch ground-level mortar-style fireworks that exploded near others. “
Images and words were projected on the building, including “Keep fighting. Keep pressing ”as officers fired tear gas at protesters, viewers said.
The office said that “dozens of people in the crowd maintained this level of violence and tumultuous conduct and were intentionally or recklessly creating a serious risk of public alarm.”
“The Portland police declared a riot based on the behavior of the people in the crowd and repeatedly warned that anyone who remained could be arrested or summoned and could be subjected to force, including impact weapons or tear gas,” said the office.
In the hours leading up to the riot declaration, thousands of people gathered in the city for another night of protests over the murder of George Floyd and the presence of federal agents in response to the public meeting.
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell released a plea for peace video on Saturday night.
“Across the country, people are committing violence, supposedly in support of Portland,” Lovell said. “If you want to support Portland, stop the violence, work for peace. Portland police and police facilities have been threatened. “
Instead, the force wants to focus on “the real relationships that will create change,” the chief insisted.
“We want to go back to the critical problems that have been hijacked by people who commit crimes under cover of the crowd,” Lovell said.
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