Protesters set fire to police union building in Portland as officers declare a riot and deploy chemicals to force crowds to disperse on the 73rd night of unrest in the city
A riot was declared in Portland after a small group of protesters lit a fire inside a police union building on the 73rd night of protests in the city that had hoped for calm after federal agents withdrew more than a week ago.
Three officers were hurt, including two who were taken to a hospital, during efforts to clear a crowd of several hundred people outside the Portland Police Association (PPA) building late Saturday, police said in a statement. The two hospitalized officers have since been released.
Peaceful rallies had been held earlier in the afternoon and evening throughout the city, including at Peninsula, Laurelhurst and Berrydale parks, but the situation devolved into chaos after nightfall.
Police said a group from Peninsula Park marched to the PPA building, which is located about five miles north of the federal courthouse that had been the target of nightly violence earlier this summer.
About 20 demonstrators reportedly broke into the building, set the fire and were adding to it when officers made the riot declaration just after 11.30pm.
Video showed smoke and flames in the building as officers outside formed a line and used flash bangs and smoke canisters to force the protest several blocks away.
A riot was declared in Portland after protesters lit a fire inside the Portland Police Association building on Saturday night. Surveillance video from inside the union building showed someone ripping open a door and igniting the fire
Police quickly declared a riot as they began working to put out the fire before it spiraled out of control
The small blaze is seen above in a video posted on Twitter by journalist Sergio Olmos
Officers reportedly used chemicals, impact munitions and physical force to break up the crowds after the assembly was declared unlawful. Pictured: Police walk through a cloud of gas in Portland's Laurelhurst neighborhood early Saturday
A protester leads a crowd of demonstrators toward the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office on Saturday
A police officer watches from the roof of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office while about 200 people protest on Saturday
Saturday marked the second time that a fire has been set inside the PPA building, with the first occurring back on July 18. The PPA labor union has been targeted because it represents members of the Portland Police Bureau, which protesters have called to defund.
Both fires were quickly distinguished, but they added fuel to criticism of small groups of protesters who have repeatedly escalated otherwise peaceful demonstrations by provoking police with property damage and other aggressive tactics.
Oregon Live emphasized that the 20 or so fire-setting protesters were far outnumbered by the hundreds of people who kept calm - at least until officers arrived, declared a riot and began breaking up the crowds.
Officials confirmed on Twitter that the riot declaration was a direct result of the 'terribly dangerous' fire.
'Officers moved in so the fire could be extinguished before it could grow out of control,' the officials said.
Police used 'crowd control munitions' and physical force to advance on the protesters multiple times - with some protesters launching the munitions and other objects back at the officers.
The munitions were banned for much of June and July under a temporary federal court order obtained by the nonprofit group Don't Shoot Portland, which expired on July 24.
Some types of crowd-control munitions, such as rubber bullets, are only allowed when lives are at risk.
Police deemed the munitions necessary when clearing crowds on Saturday, especially after protesters set fire to the middle of a large barricade in an attempt to block advancing officers.
Oregon Live reported that officers deployed some kind of chemical at the protesters, but police said it was not tear gas.
After moving out of the area by the PPA building demonstrators congregated at nearby Kenton Park, where they were again ordered to disperse. Most of the crowd had left by 2am, police stated.
Portland police officers make an arrest while dispersing protesters in front of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office early in the morning on Saturday
Officers clad in riot gear and holding batons patrol the streets of Portland's Laurelhurst neighborhood early Saturday
The gatherings this week had been noticeably smaller than the crowds of thousands who turned out nightly for about two weeks in July to protest the presence of US agents sent by the Trump administration to protect the federal courthouse downtown.
This week's clashes have, however, amped up tensions after an agreement between state and federal officials seemed to offer a brief reprieve.
Police arrested 24 people during demonstrations overnight Friday after they said people defied orders to disperse and threw rocks, frozen or hard-boiled eggs and commercial-grade fireworks at officers.
An unlawful assembly was declared outside the Penumbra Kelly public safety building.
Most of those arrested were from Portland, while one man was from Oakland, California, and another was from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Most were in their 20s or 30s.
The charges included assault on an officer, interfering with an officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
An Oregon State Police trooper was struck in the head by a large rock and suffered a head injury, police said. The trooper's condition was not immediately known.
Some demonstrators filled pool noodles with nails and placed them in the road, causing extensive damage to a patrol vehicle, police said.
Officials released photos of the makeshift weapons and body armor worn by protesters, and said that some of them were attempting to blind officers by shining lights in to their eyes.
Rocks and chunks of cement were hurled at officers overnight on Friday, and some of those arrested wore body armor
Police showed a pool noodle which they say was filled with nails, causing significant damage to the tires of patrol cars
Offers said that the tires in their cars were severely damaged by nails hidden in pool noodles, laid on the road by protesters
Since George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, protests over racial injustice and police brutality have occurred nightly for more than 70 days.
Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler said violent protesters are also serving as political 'props' for President Donald Trump in a divisive election season where the president is hammering on a law-and-order message.
Trump has called the protesters as 'sick and dangerous anarchists' running wild in the city's streets.
Tear gas was used by police on protesters Wednesday for the first time since the US agents pulled back their presence in the city.
But officers did not use it Thursday or Friday despite declaring the demonstrations unlawful assemblies. Police said tear gas wasn't used Saturday.
Portland police officers walk through the Laurelhurst neighborhood after dispersing protesters from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office early in the morning on Saturday
Tabitha Poppins (center) chants in front of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office during a protest on Friday night
A Portland police officer shoves a protester as police try to disperse the crowd in front of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office early in the morning on Saturday
Portland police hang off the side of a riot van while searching for protesters in the Laurelhurst neighborhood after dispersing a crowd of about 200 people from in front of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office early in the morning on Saturday
Protesters set fire to police union building in Portland as officers declare a riot and deploy chemicals to force crowds to disperse on the 73rd night of unrest in the city
![Protesters set fire to police union building in Portland as officers declare a riot and deploy chemicals to force crowds to disperse on the 73rd night of unrest in the city]()
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August 10, 2020
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