Portland police used tear gas against protesters who had erected barricades and shot fireworks at the Hatfield Federal Courthouse in the city. Friday was the third riot in Portland this week.
Several hundred activists marched on Friday evening into the streets around the courthouse in downtown Portland, bearing makeshift shields and diverse materials they used to erect some barricades, police said.
In the early hours of Saturday, the situation became increasingly volatile, with Portland police declaring a riot at around 4am local time. Officers deployed tear gas and pushed the protesters away from the courthouse.
Tear gas filling the outside of the federal courthouse. #Portlandprotest#blacklivesmatter#PDXprotests#pdx#portlandoregon#blm#acab#4thofJuly#portland#Fireworks#teargaspic.twitter.com/uLahki25Be
Fireworks and smoke grenades are thrown at the front of the federal courthouse. #PortlandProtests#PDXprotests#BlackLivesMatterpic.twitter.com/hQtx3WvPVy
Earlier in the night, a group of protesters burned several small fires and shot fireworks in the air and at the courthouse building itself.
At this point the crowd here may have more “explosives” than the police do. Which makes the prospect of the police engaging this crowd very funny. #Portlandprotest#blacklivesmatter#PDXprotests#pdx#portlandoregon#blm#acab#4thofJuly#portland#Fireworkspic.twitter.com/7135nAzxkv
They also used powerful lasers and flashlights to blind CCTV cameras. US flags were burned at the site, as well as on the spot where the city’s iconic elk statue used to stand before being damaged on a previous night of protests.
Self explanatory. #PDXprotests#portlandprotest#AbolishThePolicepic.twitter.com/IxQ8twkgK4
In downtown Portland Oregon on July 4th. Here we have the customary flag burning at the previous home of the elk statue in front of the Justice Center. #Portlandprotest#blacklivesmatter#PDXprotests#pdx#portlandoregon#blm#4thofJuly#portlandpic.twitter.com/75B1sIIDFJ
Police said protesters pelted them with projectiles and pointed lasers in officers’ eyes. Several people have been arrested.
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