Authorities in Portland, Oregon, again declared a riot on Sunday night after protesters marched on the union building, blocked the road and set fire to dumpster fires.
PORTLAND, Ore. A riot was again declared by authorities Sunday night in Portland as Protestants marched to a police station building, blocked a road and set off dumpster fires as officers worked to stop night riots in Oregon’s largest city.
The protest almost erupted when it formed outside the Portland Police Association building – the same building where protesters were scattered after a fire broke out in union offices the night before. Protesters had marched to the building from a nearby park. The road was blocked with vacancies, and flames were seen rising from dumpsters in the middle of the street.
Police began forcing the crowd of a few hundred away from the building. While protesters were dispersing, commercial-class fireworks were thrown at officers, two wounded, police said. The department published photos of the officers’ injuries, including a photo of a face mask that “partially melted” from the fireworks. The officers were treated at the scene.
Some Protestants returned to the union building after officers cleared the area. Police said the road was blocked again with vacations and small fires broke out in the street. Several people were arrested, police said, but specific details were not immediately available.
Since George Floyd was assassinated in Minneapolis, protests have been going on in the city for more than 70 days at night.
Demonstrations this past week have been violent. Many in the city had hoped for peace after federal agents withdrew more than a week ago.
Three officers were injured, including two who were taken to a hospital, during an attempt to wipe out the crowd of hundreds of people outside the union building last Saturday. The two hospital officers have since been released. Nine people were arrested during that protest, police said in an earlier statement.
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. Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck. Some protesters filled noses of swimming pools with nails and placed them in the road, causing a lot of damage to a patrol car, police said.
The rallies this past week were noticeably smaller than the crowds of thousands who appeared in July about two weeks ago to protest the presence of U.S. agents sent by the Trump administration around the federal courthouse in to protect the inner city.
The Portland Police Association is a trade union that represents members of the Portland Police Bureau. The building is located about 8 miles north of the federal courthouse.
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