Riot Declared In Portland Saturday, Details From Police

On Saturday crowds of demonstrators gathered throughout Portland.

One group began at Peninsula Park and walked to the Portland Police Bureau’s North Precinct.

The group was said to have blocked streets as they went.

According to a press release, “At around 8:35 p.m., hundreds gathered on the south side of the precinct in a parking lot. Some people tampered with gates, broke patrol vehicle windows, and vandalized patrol vehicles. People taunted officers as they arrived to work.”

Police say demonstrators continued blocking streets around the precinct.

Authorities say they made announcements for people to leave.

Shortly after the crowd was said to have walked two miles to the area of North Lombard Street and North Campbell Avenue where the Portland Police Association offices are located.

Portland Police say “Individuals began to break in the front doors of the PPA (Portland Police Association) office while others blocked North Lombard Street with dumpsters which were soon lit on fire. Many in the crowd wore helmets and carried clubs and shields. At about 10:45 p.m., people broke into the PPA office and within a few moments ignited a fire inside.”

Portland Police say when they arrived, many began to flee to the east.

Police shortly after declared a riot.

Police say that as the crowd dispersed, they made several arrests and were able to distinguish the fire.

A large number of protesters regrouped near North Interstate Avenue and North Lombard Street.

Portland Police say that as they moved the crowd to the south on North Interstate Avenue “people in the crowd threw rocks, gopher gassers, and launched paint filled balloons at officers. Some officers were injured. By about 11:30 p.m., the crowd was broken into small groups and order was restored.”

Police say that as this was happening, another large group was downtown near the Justice Center and Federal Courthouse.

There, people tore down fences around Chapman Square Park and Lownsdale Sqaure Park.

According to police fencing was also taken down around the Federal Courthouse and used to block doors of the building.

Most of the crowd was said to have “focused its energy around the Federal Courthouse”

Police say that at some point federal law enforcement intervened.

According to Police “People lit a bon fire in the ruins of the Elk statue base and other small garbage can or street fires. At times people gathered up on the east side of the Justice Center and blocked the gate to the jail and banged on the lobby doors. People remained downtown in and around Chapman Square Park and Lownsdale Square Park for several more hours.”

 

Photos Of The Portland Police Association Building From Saturday Night Below: