Portland Police Bureau Chief Chuck Lovell said his department is aware of a “stockpile of weapons” and “the presence of firearms” in a growing autonomous zone. A group of anti-eviction protesters set up the zone to stop the lawful eviction of the occupants of what has become known as “the Red House on Mississippi.”
“Those present at the barricade should leave it behind, put down your weapons, and allow the neighborhood to return to peace and order,” Chief Lovell said in a video posted on Twitter. “We are aware of the stockpile of weapons and the presence of firearms.”
The chief said they are also aware of the threats to the community, to police, and to media. “We’ve seen the attacks,” Lovell continued.
Portland police came under a brutal attack on Tuesday as they attempted to help the local sheriff’s office enforce an eviction at the “Red House,” Breitbart News reported.
Portland officers arrived at the “Red House” on Tuesday morning and were greeted by a crowd of at least 100 protesters, OPB.com reported. The protesters quickly became violent and began smashing the windows of police vehicles and slashing tires. The protesters then erected an “anti-eviction barrier.”
Now in its fourth day, the autonomous zone barricade continues to grow, according to independent journalist Andy Ngo. A photo posted on Twitter shows the size of the occupied zone which grew to three blocks in diameter. The Oregonian reports that protesters erected corrugated metal sheets and stacked wooden boards. They also deployed nail-studded spike strips and accumulated a stockpile of glass bottles and rocks to use as weapons.
Despite threats from the mayor and police chief to enforce the law, Portland police have not returned since being chased out of the area on Tuesday, the Oregonian reports.
Tuesday evening, recently re-elected Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler promised police would remove the protesters from the zone, Breitbart News’ Joel Pollak reported. “There will be no autonomous zone in Portland,” Wheeler tweeted.
On Thursday, Chief Lovell said, “The Portland Police will enforce the law and use force if necessary to restore order to the neighborhood.”
The chief urged those inside the occupied autonomous zone to put down their weapons and surrender peacefully.
The legal owner of the property, Roman Ozeruga, offered to sell the property back to the previous owners who lost the property after being foreclosed on for non-payment of a mortgage, the Oregonian reported on Thursday. He purchased the property in 2018 at a foreclosure sale for $260,000.
A crowdfunding effort has currently raised more than $266,000 as of Friday morning.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s Sunday-morning talk show, What’s Your Point? Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX, Parler @BobPrice, and Facebook.
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