Abortion rights protest in Portland turns destructive
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An abortion rights protest in Portland turned destructive over the weekend, with some people marching down the street breaking windows on businesses and vehicles and scrawling graffiti, police said.
Officers were monitoring the crowd but no one was arrested because they “did not have the resources to intervene at the moment," police said in a statement Sunday. City police officers were also responding to a shooting, a felony assault, a community festival and drivers doing stunts in various parts of the city at the time, police said.
The protest against Friday's U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and leave abortion decisions up to the states began with a gathering of about 200 people at a park on Saturday. A group of about 60 of them — most dressed in black — marched down a street and smashed windows on banks, coffee shops, a Portland school van, a Tesla and a nonprofit that provides assistance to pregnant people. Most of the damage occurred between 10:05 p.m. and 10:40 p.m., police said.
The Mother and Child Education Center does not steer people away from abortion, said Executive Director Maura White. It provides services to people who have decided to have children, she said.
Police had warned her that the building might be damaged, she said.
The building was left with about $10,000 in damage, including smashed windows and graffiti, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
The Portland Police Bureau is asking businesses and community members with surveillance cameras between the areas of Grant Park and the Hollywood District to view footage and see if they captured any evidence that might assist police.
The damage in Portland came a night after 10 people were arrested for disorderly conduct during a similar protest in Eugene.
Portland saw months of destructive protests against police brutality after police officers in Minneapolis killed George Floyd in May 2020.
Portland Police Bureau news release:
Destructive Group Marches in Hollywood District
Portland Police Bureau - 06/26/22 12:08 AM
A destructive group caused damage to numerous businesses during a march through the Hollywood District.
On Saturday, June 25, 2022 at about 10:00p.m., a group of over 60 people marched out of Grant Park, Northeast 33rd Avenue and U.S. Grant Place. Participants, most dressed in all black, began breaking windows and scrawling graffiti.
Officers were monitoring the crowd, but did not have resources to intervene in the moment. At the time of this event, there was an injury shooting and a stabbing in East Precinct, and a felony assault in Central Precinct. Additionally, a community festival in North Precinct was underway, an impromptu "dance party" drew approximately 1000 people to Irving Park, and they held a march and blocked traffic. There were also calls about speed racers doing stunts in various parts of Portland.
The group left the area by 10:45p.m. Since then officers have been taking reports of the damage. They have confirmed that several banks and coffee shops had broken windows. A van belonging to Portland Public Schools was damaged, broken windows and tagged with paint. A pregnancy resource center was vandalized. Officers are working to contact affected business owners and assist with arrangements to secure the buildings. Efforts are already underway to get graffiti removed.
Individuals who engage in violent activity or property destruction will be investigated and are subject to arrest and prosecution. That does not always happen in the moment. We will continue to conduct follow-up investigations, make arrests, and forward cases to the Multnomah County District Attorney for prosecution. Just because arrests are not made at the scene, when tensions are high, does not mean that people are not being charged with crimes later.
The Portland Police Bureau is asking businesses and community members who have surveillance cameras to review footage to see if they captured any evidence that may assist with the investigations. The bulk of the damage took place between 10:06 p.m. and 10:40 p.m. If anyone has useful footage, they're asked to e-mail crimetips@portlandoregon.gov and reference case number 22-169901.
If anyone sustained damage and has not been in contact with Portland Police, they're asked to make a police report by calling non-emergency dispatch at 503-823-3333 or online https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/cor/ . Please reference case number 22-169901.
