Police Respond to Riot in Portland as Protesters Throw ‘Baseball Sized’ Rocks at Cops, Set Fires Near Precinct

Police responded to a protest that descended into a violent riot in north Portland after demonstrators threw rocks and water bottles at officers, shined lasers in their eyes, and attempted to set fires near the precinct.

Demonstrators clashed with police on Tuesday as a protest in the northern part of the city turned violent, leading authorities to declare an “unlawful assembly” and disperse the crowd.

According to the Portland Police Bureau, a “couple hundred” gathered at Peninsula Park around 6:00 p.m. and “began marching in a northwesterly direction towards the Portland Police Association’s office in North Portland” roughly two hours later:

Around 9 p.m., demonstrators began blocking the road on North Lombard Street at North Campbell Avenue. While in the street, demonstrators began throwing projectiles at officers who were standing outside of the Portland Police Association office. These projectiles included rocks and water bottles. The demonstrators also shined green lasers in the officer’s eyes.

At approximately 9:08 p.m., the sound truck made an admonishment stating an unlawful assembly had been declared and that the demonstrators needed to disperse to the east. The demonstrators were told if they did not obey the lawful order and begin to disperse, they could be subject to arrest or use of force to include crowd control munitions. Despite the admonishment, demonstrators continued to block traffic on North Lombard Street and throw projectiles at officers who were in front of the Portland Police Association office.

Demonstrators continued to throw projectiles at officers, including “water bottles, baseball sized rocks, and full cans” as officers worked to disperse them.

Chaos unraveled, as protesters clashed with police — hurling objects at police and attempting to set fires — leading to the use of tear gas by authorities.

Per PPB:

While officers cleared the area, some crowd control munitions were used. Once demonstrators were to North Fenwick Avenue and North Lombard Street, they began to move dumpsters and plastic trash bins to the street. The demonstrators attempted to set fire to the dumpsters and trash bins. During this time, demonstrators deployed orange smoke towards officers.

“Several” arrests were made as demonstrators “continued to throw projectiles at officers, vandalize property, and set dumpster fires on North Lombard Street.”

PPB said most of the demonstrators left the area early Wednesday morning, around 1:15 a.m.

Last week, Portland protesters reportedly attempted to burn the North precinct with officers inside in yet another chaotic night, leading officers to declare another unlawful assembly, with arson, looting, and vandalism dominating the streets.

Regarding Tuesday night’s riot, PPB said information on arrests “is still being compiled and an updated release will be published when this information becomes available.”