Riot declared after Portland protesters set police union building on fire

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Police in Portland, Oregon, declared another riot after local and state officials requested federal officers withdraw from the state.

On Saturday, a mass gathering of protesters devolved into violence, with demonstrators later in the night blocking traffic with dumpsters, setting dumpsters on fire, and vandalizing the Portland Police Association building. A group of people later broke a window into the PPA office and ignited a fire in the building.

“Officers from the Oregon State Police and PPB arrived in the area to disperse the crowd. They were met with a hostile crowd who began throwing glass bottles and paint balloons at them,” the police said in a statement. “The hostile crowd also tried to injure officers by shining green lasers into their eyes, which is a crime in Oregon. Three officers suffered injuries. Two were transported to an area hospital by police vehicle and later released. Personnel from Portland Fire and Rescue were able to gain access to the location and extinguish the fire inside the PPA Office.”

The police described the situation as “terribly dangerous,” but fire and rescue personnel were able to gain access to the building after officers dispersed the crowd to extinguish the flames. Police made several arrests in connection with criminal activity that occurred but did not disclose details.

At the end of July, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, said that “all Customs and Border Protection & ICE officers will leave downtown Portland” in a “phased withdrawal.” However, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said federal authorities will maintain a presence until the government is confident the federal property is safe.

“The Department will continue to maintain our current, augmented federal law enforcement personnel in Portland until we are assured that the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other federal properties will no longer be attacked and that the seat of justice in Portland will remain secure,” Wolf said of Brown’s publicly stated timeline.

Protests in Portland have continued since the Memorial Day death of George Floyd. Police previously declared another riot in the city after protesters toppled a courthouse fence last month.

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