Two Men Charged in Toppling of Roosevelt Statue and Rioting in Portland

Law enforcement officials in Portland, Oregon, announced the arrests of two people in connection to Sunday night’s riot where two presidential statues were torn down and businesses were vandalized. One of the men was previously arrested in August in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

During an Indigenous People’s Day protest that turned into a riot, vandals tore down statues of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, Breitbart News reported. Rioters then vandalized multiple buildings and shot at at least one restaurant, the Heroes American Cafe.

The Multnomah County District Attorney announced charges against one of the rioters allegedly involved in tearing down the statue of President Roosevelt, KGW8 NBC reported. The charge follows the arrest by Portland police officers of 38-year-old Brandon Bartells, a Pasco, Washington, resident. Police claim Bartells drove the van that allegedly pulled the Roosevelt statue to the ground.

“Officers said Bartells and others used chains and straps to topple the statue, according to court documents,” the local NBC affiliate reported. “Bartells is a suspect in bringing down the Lincoln statue as well, but the district attorney’s office said Monday that investigation is ongoing.”

The news outlet also reported that Bartlet was arrested during a protest in Kenosha — charged with violating a curfew.

He now faces charges of First Degree Criminal Mischief and Riot.

The damage to the two presidential statues is estimated at a combined $30,000, the report states.

Police in Portland also arrested 23-year-old Malik Fard Muhamad, a man from Indiana who has reportedly living in Washington. He is accused of using a metal baton to smash windows at the Oregon Historical Society, Portland State University, and other locations.

Court documents obtained by KATU2 say police identified Muhamad by his red and grey gloves and shield. Police say he hid and then ran from officers. Police allegedly found a loaded handgun where he had been hiding and a matching magazine in his possession.

Muhamad faces charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a loaded firearm in public, and first-degree criminal mischief and riot.

Breitbart News reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon to see if they would be filing federal charges under the Veterans’ Memorial Preservation Act. If charged and convicted, Bartells could face up to 10 years in federal prison. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney said their office works very closely with the local DA to ensure charges are brought in the proper venue. The spokesman would not comment on this particular matter.