Portland police have declared a riot in the city after protesters turned violent, smashing windows and destroying public and private property downtown.
Two groups converged on the Oregon city Wednesday. Demonstrators marched over the Morris Bridge, blocking traffic on their march into downtown. Several hundred people joined the march. Demonstrators hurled items, including glass bottles and a Molotov cocktail, into businesses.
The group smashed more windows in the WILDFANG clothing store at SW 10th & Harvey Milk. #koin6news #pdx #pnw #Oregon #PortlandProtests #Protest pic.twitter.com/5Sfikf7ERY
— Jennifer Dowling (@JenDowlingKoin6) November 5, 2020
Protesters were hostile to media on the scene and attempted to block reporters filming incidents of vandalism. One business that had a Martin Luther King Jr. quote posted in its front window was targeted by protesters who shattered the front window.
Protesters just tried to break windows of Starbucks then began vandalizing ATM. We’re here to document this event but it’s clear they don’t want to be filmed. @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/IuxaaRsimB
— Brenna Kelly (@BrennaKellyNews) November 5, 2020
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office arrested 11 people. Officers seized a slew of items from protesters, including hammers, spray paint, and commercial-grade fireworks.
These are some of the items law enforcement has seized tonight from custodies. Commercial grade fireworks, hammers, spray paint. pic.twitter.com/L4paG54Tqo
— Multnomah Co Sheriff (@MultCoSO) November 5, 2020
Wednesday’s violence was the latest incident in a run of similar incidents over the past five months. Unlike the riots that plagued Portland throughout the summer, Democratic Gov. Kate Brown activated the state’s National Guard Wednesday in anticipation of the demonstrations.
“Every Oregonian has the right to express themselves freely and to peacefully assemble,” Brown said in a statement. “However, I want to be clear that voter intimidation and political violence will not be tolerated. Not from the Left, the Right, or the Center. Not this week, not any week in Oregon.”
Brown created a unified command center for state police and the county sheriff’s deputies. Under the authority of the joint command, officers can use tear gas despite Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler’s banning its use in the fall.
The violence comes as Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty proposed cutting an additional $18 million from the city’s police budget this week, on top of $15 million the city council cut in June.
