Last night was the 70th straight night of anti-police protests in Portland and the 2nd night in a row the crowd became violent enough that a riot was declared. Hannah Ray Lambert, a KOIN reporter on the scene, said that as the crowd was getting worked up she heard someone ask “Who’s ready to raise some hell tonight?”
"Who's ready to raise some hell tonight?" a person with a megaphone asked, prompting cheers. The crowd of about 200 gathered at Floyd Light City Park plans to march to PPB's East Precinct any minute now. https://t.co/vCBEruq9fW
— Hannah Ray Lambert (@TheHannahRay) August 6, 2020
The group marched to Portland’s East Precinct, which had been boarded up in advance, and began tearing off the plywood while chanting: “No KKK, no fascist USA, no cops!” and “F**k the police!” Notice in the 2nd clip below they are using both umbrellas and lasers to prevent the cameras from seeing them while they vandalize the cameras.
The security cameras are getting spray painted. pic.twitter.com/XkUvnkvTpw
— Hannah Ray Lambert (@TheHannahRay) August 6, 2020
They managed to get some of the plywood off and after initially failing to break the glass, decided to barricade the doors. This group is not usually shy about going after anyone filming them so I’m wondering how this reporter was able to get such a good view of the vandalism in process without being attacked.
They didn't have much luck breaking in so now they are barricading the doors. pic.twitter.com/yZJxqLIxhz
— Hannah Ray Lambert (@TheHannahRay) August 6, 2020
At 9:45 pm, police declared an unlawful assembly and ordered people out of the street. A few minutes before 10 pm they declared a riot.
PPB just declared riot. Warning of tear gas and impact munitions if people don't disperse.
— Hannah Ray Lambert (@TheHannahRay) August 6, 2020
Meanwhile the mob was setting a fire in front of the precinct while chanting “No cops, no prisons, full abolition!” So, believe it or not, these goons are utopian idealists.
Better view. Cops moving in now. pic.twitter.com/rEGhRLmqD3
— Hannah Ray Lambert (@TheHannahRay) August 6, 2020
A little after 10 pm, the crowd was throwing rocks and fireworks at the police. Police pushed them back with tear gas. At least one arrest was made and police identified what they initially thought was an explosive device outside the precinct.
Arrests at 106th and Washington. pic.twitter.com/PzwMro0rxX
— Hannah Ray Lambert (@TheHannahRay) August 6, 2020
We have reason to believe an explosive device has been left outside East Precinct. The area of SE Washington to SE Cherry Blossom St on SE 106th Ave is closed. Also closed is the property of Floyd Light Middle School and the East Portland Community Center.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) August 6, 2020
Later that night they announced they had checked it and found it was not an explosive. At some point during this time as police and protesters were drifting back and forth near the precinct, a truck identified by police as belonging to someone in the protest group “attempted to run over several officers.” So far, that’s all the detail there is about that incident. I haven’t seen any video of it anywhere. I’m sure the protesters tell a very different story.
Things have certainly changed since last Friday when the Washington Post published a series of live updates under the heading, “Calm returns to Portland protests as federal forces pull back.” Well, there were zero federal forces involved last night and still this is the 2nd riot in a row and the third one since Saturday. It’s almost as if the anti-police rioters don’t care that much whether the police they are targeting are feds or locals. The only difference now is the targets. Instead of gathering nightly at the federal courthouse, the mob is now attacking the Police union building and the East Precinct.
I don’t see any reason why this behavior will stop until police decide to arrest a few people and pin some charges on the ones doing the damage. As it stands now there isn’t much price being paid by the rioters for this behavior.
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