Portland mayor condemns rioters for ‘attempting to commit murder’

“When you commit arson with an accelerant in an attempt to burn down a building that is occupied by people who you have intentionally trapped inside, you are not demonstrating, you are attempting to commit murder,” Wheeler, a Democrat, said during a Thursday press conference in response to a riot declared by police early Wednesday morning when people attempted to burn down a police precinct with officers inside.

“Don’t think for a moment that you are, if you are participating in this activity, you are not being a prop for the reelection campaign of Donald Trump — because you absolutely are,” he continued. “You are creating the b-roll film that will be used in ads nationally to help Donald Trump during this campaign. If you don’t want to be part of that, then don’t show up.”

A group of rioters arrived at the Portland Police Association building Tuesday night and began blocking traffic before a dumpster was set on fire in the middle of the street, and then the edge of the police building was set on fire. Police said people began vandalizing the building and attempting to pull the plywood off the boarded-up doors and windows.

“I believe that city staff could have died last night,” Wheeler added. “I cannot and I will not tolerate that. This is not peaceful protests. This is not advocacy to advance reforms.”

Both peaceful protests and violent riots have broken out in Portland on a consistent basis following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody in late May.

Rioters attempted to burn down a federal courthouse in Portland late last month, and video circulated this month of protesters burning bibles and U.S. flags.

“A totally surreal experience. You get large, nonviolent demonstrations where people march, they chant, they give speeches, then shortly after are replaced with a smaller crowd, though still large, who immediately start trying to break into and destroy the federal courthouse. They have transposed their hatred for the president and for law enforcement onto the physical structure of the federal courthouse and the uniformed personnel whose job is to protect that courthouse,” a Homeland Security Department agent sent to protect federal property in Portland said about the scene.

“They throw homemade Molotov cocktails, try to set the walls on fire, try to cut and pry through the plywood covering the glass walls, all the while screaming vitriol until their voices are cracked and hoarse. When DHS personnel are visible, they throw frozen water bottles at them, canned goods, paint, and gasoline. They try to shine high powered lasers into our eyes, which can cause permanent damage. They chant and spray paint ‘feds go home’ as one of their slogans, and that could be easily achieved. If they could prove they wouldn’t destroy the courthouse, DHS personnel would go home. It is that simple,” the agent added.

Wheeler told the acting Homeland Security secretary in mid-July that the city didn’t need assistance from the department to quell 47 consecutive nights of protests and riots.

Shortly after, Wheeler was hit with tear gas by federal agents and was jeered by his fellow residents when he appeared at a protest outside the federal courthouse.