Anarchists barricade people inside Justice Center, torch Portland Police Association building

Anarchists barricade people inside Justice Center, torch Portland Police Association building

Anarchists barricade people inside Justice Center, torch Portland Police Association building

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PORTLAND, OR– On Saturday night, a group of demonstrators marched into the Portland Police Association building by breaking in the front doors and once inside started a fire.

According to authorities, crowds of people gathered throughout Portland for various demonstrations that were taking place on Saturday evening. One of those groups began at Peninsula Park and marched to the Portland Police Bureau’s North Precinct.

Police said that around 8:35 pm, hundreds of people gathered on the south side of the precinct in a parking lot. Some people in the crowd took it upon themselves to tamper with gates, break patrol vehicle windows, and vandalize patrol cars.

Other members of the crowd taunted officers as they were arriving for their scheduled shifts.

According to FOX12, police said that people in cars and on bikes had blocked the streets surrounding the precinct. About an hour later, around 9:30 pm, police gave public address announcements telling people to leave and to go west. 

About another hour later, around 10:30 pm, the large crowd walked to the area of North Lombard Street and North Campbell Avenue, where the Portland Police Association (PPA) offices are located.

Rioters began to break in the front doors of the office, while at the same time others blocked North Lombard Street with dumpsters that they had set on fire.

According to the police, many people in the crowd were wearing helmets and carried clubs and shields.  Based off that description, it sounds like people in the crowd were ready for violence.

Fifteen minutes after they got to the PPA offices, around 10:45 pm, rioters broke into the building and lit a fire inside.

According to reports, as officers arrived on scene, many people from the crowd fled to the east.

Due to the violent conduct of the large group creating a grave risk to public alarm, the police declared a riot. 

Officers continued to move the crowd east and as the crowd dispersed, officers made several arrests. Officers were also able to put out the fire that was set inside of the building. Portland Police said that they did not use any CS gas when dispersing the crowds.

The crowd eventually scattered into the neighborhood and then a large number of people regrouped near North Interstate Avenue and North Lombard Street. Officers then moved the crowd to the south of North Interstate Avenue.

While police were moving the crowd, rioters threw rocks, gopher gassers, and paint-filled balloons at the officers.  A few officers were injured from these harmful items.

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By about 11:30 pm, police said that the crowd was broken up into much smaller groups and order in that area of Portland was restored. 

However, another large crowd had gathered downtown near the Justice Center and the Federal Courthouse. In this area, police said that people tore down fences around Chapman Square Park and Lownside Square Park.

Rioters also removed fencing that was around the Federal Courthouse and used it to barricade doors. Fences were also moved in front of the west and north doors to the Justice Center. At some point, federal officers came out to address the crowd as many of the Portland Police officers were working in north Portland at the time.

According to authorities, a bonfire was also lit in the ruins of the elk statue base, and other small fires lit in garbage cans and in the streets.

At times throughout the night, rioters gathered on the east side of the Justice Center, blocking the gate to the jail and banging loudly on the lobby doors. The crowd remained in the area for several more hours.

According to a release from the Portland Police Bureau, around 12:30 am, the group began shooting commercial grade fireworks and smoke bombs towards the Justice Center near the barricaded doors on the south side of the building.

The group was also using the fence to block traffic on Southwest Madison Street. Portland Police gave announcement from the sound truck to stop barricading the doors, but people continued to do it. At 1:33 am, an unlawful assembly was declared due to the threat of life, including to those inside of the Justice Center and Federal buildings.

While dispersing the crowds, officers took projectiles such as glass bottles, rocks, and broken pieces of metal from the fencing. After finally dispersing the crowd to the west, officers were able to disengage. 

According to the police bureau, one Portland police officer suffered minor injuries during the chaos and mayhem on Friday night.

While politicians continue to condemn the officers themselves but encourage these “peaceful protests,” officers are putting themselves in harms way night after night as Portland has seen over 50 consecutive nights of rioting, with no end in sight.

 

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About The Author

Jenna Curren, Ed.D., is an assistant professor in criminal justice studies. As chair of a CJ advisory board, Jenna actively partners with members of the community to integrate current students into internships and prospective law enforcement careers. Prior to working in academics, Jenna held various custody and treatment positions and was a lieutenant for the CT Department of Correction. Throughout her tenure, she supervised men, women, youth and mental health offenders. A C.E.R.T and honor guard member, as well as a training officer, Jenna has 10 years of experience in the criminal justice and human services fields.

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