Portland Rioters, Including ‘Press’: Assault Police Officers

Press!

Pull!….Nyuck, Nyuck!

Demonstrators in Portland, Oregon, hurled glass bottles and pointed lasers at police officers late on Aug. 1, prompting the declaration of an unlawful assembly and two arrests.

The city has been the scene of nightly unrest since May.

A group of about 200 people gathered on Aug. 1 in Laurelhurst Park, several miles east of downtown, where the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse and the Justice Center have repeatedly been targeted during riots. The crowd marched, blocking traffic, about a mile east to the Penumbra Kelly Building, which houses law enforcement offices, before using vehicles to block East Burnside Street while shining bright lights, including lasers, at Portland police officers standing outside the building.

Eventually, the group began hurling glass bottles at the officers.

“A person in the crowd threw a glass jar or bottle filled with paint, which struck a Portland Police officer in the head. The officer was not injured.”
Portland Police

Because the mob declined to disperse, continuing to hurl projectiles, police declared an unlawful assembly and forced rioters to disperse.

“People continued to throw glass and plastic bottles at police. People with ‘press’ written on their outer garments [indicating journalists] repeatedly threw objects at officers.”
Portland Police

An attempt to interfere with law enforcement operations by driving a car slowly in front of officers ended after officers deflated the vehicle’s tires.

Two Portland residents were arrested, including one who identifies as an Antifa member. One allegedly assaulted an officer, interfered with an officer, and engaged in disorderly conduct, while the other was accused of interfering with the police, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and harassment.

When the crowd was dispersed away from the building, police disengaged and returned to the Penumbra Kelly Building, but a large portion of the mob circled back toward the building.

Police met the crowd again and began dispersing it. During this time, individuals with “press” written on their clothes again joined rioters in hurling projectiles at police. Police dispersed the crowd again, and the mob didn’t return to the building.