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PORTLAND: Police arrested dozens of people and used tear gas against hundreds of protesters in Portland on Saturday night (September 5) as the western U.S. city marked 100 days since the Black Lives Matter protests broke out against the racism and police brutality.
Police quickly declared the rally to be a “riot” after protesters threw Molotov cocktails at them and responded with a volley of tear gas to disperse the crowd.
At least one person was injured by the firebombs, police said.
Officers arrested dozens of protesters at a game of cat and mouse through a residential district in East Portland.
READ: Portland police made ‘multiple arrests’ overnight as city nears 100 days of protests
Police advance on protesters to clear a street on the 100th consecutive night of protests against police violence and racial inequality, in Portland, Oregon, USA, September 5, 2020. REUTERS / Carlos Barria
A woman is detained by police officers on the 100th consecutive night of protests against police violence and racial inequality, in Portland, Oregon, USA on September 5, 2020. REUTERS / Carlos Barria
“It was the 100th day of the Black Lives Matter protests in Portland since George Floyd’s murder and they wanted to stop us from marching,” said Jay, a 20-year-old protester, her eyes red from the tear gas.
“It is our constitutional right to be here and express ourselves.”
Police said people were “engaging in tumultuous and violent conduct, thereby intentionally or recklessly creating a serious risk of causing public alarm.”
“This is a riot. Police are giving announcements to disperse. People are throwing Molotov cocktails,” Portland police said on Twitter.
The nightly protests were sparked by the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis in May.
Floyd’s death sparked similar protests across the country, but it is in Portland, a city of 650,000 that is more than 70 percent white, that activists have been on the streets virtually every night, demanding racial justice and police accountability. .
READ: Rival groups gather at Kentucky Derby as summer of protests progresses
Police advance as protesters set off fireworks on the 100th consecutive night of protests against police violence and racial inequality, in Portland, Oregon, USA on September 5, 2020. REUTERS / Caitlin Ochs TPX PHOTOS OF THE DAY
President Donald Trump has pointed out that the city is besieged by “thugs” involved in “internal terrorism,” although the demonstrations have been peaceful for the most part.
Tensions rose again last weekend after a man identified as a supporter of a right-wing group was shot and killed.
READ: Suspect in murder of Portland protester shot to death by police
MEMORIAL FOR SHOOTING VICTIM
Early Saturday, hundreds of people gathered in a park near Portland in a tribute to Aaron “Jay” Danielson, a supporter of the far-right group Patriot Prayer.
The 39-year-old was fatally shot after joining Trump supporters who arrived in Portland, sparking clashes with Black Lives Matter counter-protesters.
The shooting suspect, Michael Reinoehl, 48, died in neighboring Washington state when police tried to arrest him.
The circumstances of Danielson’s death are still under investigation, but Reinoehl appeared to acknowledge that he shot him in an interview with Vice News.
“We are in the middle of a civil war between good and evil, the good, the good is all the people you see here,” said Dann, 50, who met Danielson through Patriot Prayer, pointing to the families. lined up near an imposing barbecue between camping chairs and numerous American flags displayed for the occasion.
“The evil is the liberals who are letting these cities be destroyed by Antifa, BLM, whatever you want to call them,” he said.
Aside from the homage to the victim and the groups of men with assault rifles or pistols, the atmosphere in Vancouver Park, north of Portland, was almost festive.
But Dann was saddened by the run-up to the presidential election.
“The next two months are going to be terrible. There will be more violence. There will be more atrocities. There will be more insults,” he predicted.
With a skateboard and a gun on his belt, 51-year-old Daparu De Crusha said the BLM protesters were trying to destroy the American family.
The former publicist was convinced that Danielson was not killed by chance.
“I think it was orchestrated, it was a hunt,” he said. “There was going to be a human sacrifice that night and Jay Danielson was his victim,” he said.
After citing conspiracy theories about China and Bill Gates, De Crusha said Trump’s victory or defeat on November 3 would not change the country’s problems.
“It is not going to end the elections,” Dann agreed.
“The only thing that will stop him is if we the people stand up for our rights and don’t intimidate ourselves,” he said, wearing a “Make America Great Again” cap and a “We the people” tattoo on his arm.
In his tribute to Danielson, Patriot Prayer founder Joey Gibson, who denies defending white supremacy, insisted that they rejected hatred and violence.
“I don’t want anyone to encourage violence on Jay’s behalf,” he said.
