After largely peaceful protests throughout the day Saturday, several hundred protesters gathered in Downtown Portland around 8:30 p.m. in Lownsdale and Chapman Square Parks. As the crowd grew, many gathered in the street at SW 3rd Avenue and SW Main Street, blocking the street near the Justice Center. The incident was still under the Unified Command of Oregon State Police and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.
Warnings were provided via loudspeaker to vacate the roadway because it was open to vehicular traffic. Despite multiple warnings, much of the group remained in the street.
Officers moved in and made several arrests. While making arrests and ticketing illegally parked vehicles, projectiles were thrown at officers including full beverages cans, firecrackers and rocks. At one point, an officer was attempting to load an arrested person into a transport van when another arrested person, Michael Colten, forced his way out. He ran while still restrained in zip-ties for about two blocks before he was recaptured by officers.
Officers attempted to disengage and leave the area multiple times in an effort to de-escalate, but each time as they retreated, individuals in the crowd threw projectiles at officers and re-entered the street. Officers made additional arrests.
At 10:29 p.m., officers stopped a vehicle associated with the demonstration in the area of SW 1st Avenue and SW Jefferson Street. A drone was seized from inside the vehicle.
Officers provided security during the traffic stop. As they began to disengage, many of the demonstrators moved back out into the lanes of travel. Officers again cleared the street. As they did this, officers were targeted by high velocity objects, believed to be ball bearings launched from slingshots. These projectiles had the potential to cause serious injury.
At about 11:45p.m., because of criminal activity witnessed, the crowd was notified by loudspeaker that the gathering was an unlawful assembly, and they were to leave the area to the west. They were warned that failure to adhere to the order may subject them to arrest, citation, or the use of crowd control agents including, but not limited to, impact weapons and/or tear gas.
Few, if any, individuals followed the order, so officers began physically moving the crowd away. The officers were pelted with additional rocks and other dangerous objects. Officers continued making arrests.
During one of the arrests, officers seized a can of bear spray and a baton (photo).
While the majority of the crowd dispersed by 1:30 a.m. Sunday, a small group of hostile individuals remained. Individuals threw glass bottles at the direction of officers. Law enforcement officers performed several additional arrests in Chapman Square Park.
A list of charges and arrests will come at a later time. ###