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Clad in full riot gear, a squad of Portland officers gallantly took the knee in front of a demonstration over George Floyd’s death, garnering applause and creating an atmosphere of unity with the crowd.

The moment was caught on film on Monday, with videos showing a large gathering of peaceful protesters facing a row of riot police officers outside the Multnomah County Justice Center in Portland, Oregon.

The line of officers is then seen kneeling before the demonstrators, apparently in solidarity with their cause. The crowd responded positively to the gesture, with some kneeling as well, while others shook their hands. 

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Portland officers weren’t the first to reach out to those rallying over Floyd’s death. On Sunday, a county sheriff in Michigan joined demonstrators in Genesee County, assuring them that the police there are on the side of the public.

Meanwhile, back in Portland, thousands of protesters blocked traffic across the city. The authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew, but this was largely ignored by those demonstrating throughout the weekend.

The protests turned violent on Sunday, as groups of demonstrators bombarded the federal courthouse with stones, and pelted projectiles at police, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.

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