Multiple arrests as protests continue in Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Multiple arrests were made while demonstrators gathered outside the Justice Center in downtown Portland Sunday night as protests have continued in Oregon’s largest city for a month.
Authorities did not immediately say how many people were arrested.
KOIN reports demonstrators refused to leave the street outside the Justice Center and the Portland Police Bureau’s Central Precinct.
Police say plastic bottles were thrown at them while making more arrests.
Demonstrators have gathered in Portland almost every night since George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis on May 25.
Portland Police Bureau news release:
Demonstrations in Portland June 21-22, 2020
Portland Police Bureau - 06/22/20 2:14 AM
One main demonstration occurred in Portland during the evening hours of June 21 through the early morning hours of June 22, 2020.
At approximately 7:30 p.m., demonstrators began to gather on Southwest 3rd Avenue blocking traffic between Southwest Main and Southwest Madison Street. The demonstrators set up cones and sandbags across Southwest 3rd Avenue. At 7:57 p.m., a couple hundred demonstrators had completely blocked both Southwest 3rd Avenue and Southwest Main Street, forcing vehicular traffic to go the wrong way down a one way street.
Beginning at 8:21 p.m., the sound truck gave several warnings to the demonstrators. Despite warnings from the sound truck, demonstrators continued to block vehicular traffic on and off for the next hour. By 9:34 p.m., demonstrators were consistently standing in the street, blocking all vehicular traffic on Southwest 3rd Avenue. Demonstrators were told by the sound truck if they did not vacate the road way and proceed to the sidewalk, they may be arrested. Most demonstrators continued to stay in the street. At 9:41 p.m., officers began to arrest individuals still standing in the street.
At 10:09 p.m., officers left the area of Southwest 3rd Avenue and Southwest Main Street. As officers left the area, they were hit with projectiles and flashed with lasers. Around 10:50 p.m. demonstrators returned to the street on Southwest 3rd Avenue and a man carrying a rifle was spotted in the crowd. The sound truck once again warned demonstrators to stay out of the street. At 11:31 p.m., demonstrators began to move eastbound on SW Main Street towards 2nd Avenue. Once on 2nd Avenue, demonstrators began marching southbound towards the front doors of Central Precinct.
Around 11:35 p.m., demonstrators began tampering with the front doors of Central Precinct and several were standing in the street on Southwest 2nd Avenue. The demonstrators were given admonishment warnings from the sound truck to quit tampering with the doors and stay off of the street. Despite several warnings, demonstrators continued their behavior. At 11:41 p.m., officers made a targeted arrest, causing demonstrators to move back to the sidewalk. At 11:46 p.m., the west sidewalk on Southwest 2nd Avenue was closed in order for an ambulance to get to a person requesting medical assistance.
At 12:05 a.m., the demonstrators began marching back to Southwest 3rd Avenue near Southwest Madison Street. The demonstrators continued to disobey admonishments from the sound truck and stood in the street. At 12:36 a.m., Officers once again made targeted arrests of subjects refusing to leave the street. As officers made arrests, demonstrators threw plastic bottles at them.
By 12:41 a.m., 80-100 demonstrators remained in Champan Park. The sound truck reminded demonstrators that Portland Parks close at midnight and that they needed to leave the park. By 1:41 a.m., a majority of the demonstrators had left the area.
Information on arrests is still being compiled and an updated release will be published when this information becomes available. No CS gas was used by Portland Police Bureau members during this event.
The Portland Police Bureau encourages community members' tips on criminal activity. Please call 911 if you see a crime in progress or for non-emergency information call (503)-823-3333.
Anyone with information about individuals who committed criminal activity at any event is asked to share that information with the Portland Police Bureau. Information can be sent via email to CrimeTips@portlandoregon.gov.
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