Protesters return, re-enter Portland State University library, 8 more arrests made; 18 others sought, photos released
PORTLAND, Ore. (KGW/KTVZ) — A group of pro-Palestinian protesters reentered Portland State University's library Thursday evening, eventually prompting police to return and re-clear the building, making more arrests, KGW reported. Police also were looking for the public's help to find 18 others who fled earlier.
Officers had arrested at least seven more people as of 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Portland State University's Campus Security also arrested one person, Portland police said.
"We can now confirm that trespassers did pull down the fence and broke back into the library. Police officers moved back into the library and made arrests. Arrests have also been made for people refusing to leave the park block at the library," Portland police said on Twitter.
So far, 30 people have been arrested relating to the pro-Palestine protests on the Portland State University campus, Portland Police Bureau said Thursday afternoon.
At least seven of those arrests were PSU students, according to Portland police. Police are also searching for 18 people who fled from the library while officers cleared the building Thursday morning.
Around 3:30 p.m., Portland police ordered protesters to leave the South Park Blocks on the Portland State University campus and declared the area closed. However, several protestors later reentered the library, Portland State University said.
Students and other protesters remained on the blocks following a Thursday morning police operation to clear the PSU library of pro-Palestinian protesters, with the crowd gathered near the police perimeter around the library building.
After the library had been cleared Thursday morning, police reported members of the crowd were throwing water bottles at officers. Though for the most part, throughout the day the crowd was chanting and demonstrating peacefully outside the library.
But the situation appeared to escalate starting at around 3 p.m., Portland police said that officers had been hit with water bottles thrown from the crowd again, at which point police deployed a sound truck to the scene and were instructing the crowd to move off the South Park Blocks and Southwest Hall Street area.
Around the same time, a driver reportedly approached the crowd and sprayed some kind of pepper spray before abandoning the vehicle to flee. Portland police later located the man and said he was transported to a local hospital on a police mental health hold, PPB said Thursday evening.
One officer sustained a leg injury and was taken to a local hospital.
Meanwhile, the Portland Police Bureau is attempting to identify more than a dozen people who fled from the PSU library.
On Thursday, as PPB officers were clearing the library following a days-long occupation, 18 people fled from the building. PPB says needs the public's help identifying the individuals.
Anyone with information on their identities, or other information about criminal activity connected to this incident, is encouraged to contact the Portland Police Bureau via crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference case number 24-105937.
