PORTLAND, Ore. — Incivility and unrest continued in Portland, Ore., on Saturday night into Sunday morning, with police declaring a riot just after midnight near the Penumbra Kelly Building, which houses public safety offices, according to reports.
Rioters were seen throwing rocks, bottles and other objects at police officers, KGW-TV reported.
“The Incident Commander has declared this a RIOT. Immediately disperse to the WEST,” Portland police wrote on Twitter.
A lot of confusion from police on whether to bypass press or shove them a lot and yell at them. Got both treatments tonight.
— Molly Harbarger (@MollyHarbarger) August 23, 2020
To the protesters at the Kelly Building: failure to leave to the WEST may subject you to arrest, citation, or crowd control agents, including but not limited to tear gas and/or impact weapons. This is your warning to leave now.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) August 23, 2020
Police warned rioters that failure to leave the area would subject them to “citation, arrest, and/or crowd control agents, including but not limited to tear gas and/or impact weapons.”
To those at the Kelly Building: You are not to enter or remain on the Kelly building property. Failure to adhere to this direction may subject you to citation, arrest, and/or crowd control agents, including but not limited to tear gas and/or impact weapons.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) August 23, 2020
To those at the Kelly Building: You are not to enter or remain on the Kelly building property. Failure to adhere to this direction may subject you to citation, arrest, and/or crowd control agents, including but not limited to tear gas and/or impact weapons.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) August 23, 2020
Officers deployed in the Southeast Portland area, which is about six miles from downtown. They were seen trying to block crowds at 47th and 53rd avenues, KGW reported.
This has nothing to do with George Floyd anymore.
Portland Police declare a riot at Penumbra Kelly Building https://t.co/5LziCNyX2Z
— Beau Robinson (@thebeaush0w) August 23, 2020
There was no immediate information about arrests, injuries or property damage, Fox reported.
Portland Police declared an unlawful assembly, and riot officers began dispersal operations. Protesters were pushed away from the Penumbra Kelly Building. #PortlandProtests #PDXProtests #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Bgpyus0Wiy
— Portland Independent Documentarians (@PDocumentarians) August 23, 2020
An earlier march to the building was turned back by police, The Associated Press reported.
Police are asking people to stop throwing projectiles & are suggesting that people leave the area. #koin6news #PNW #PDX #Oregon #protests #BLM #Portland #rosecity pic.twitter.com/1zr7zbo7dr
— Jennifer Dowling (@JenDowlingKoin6) August 23, 2020
The government building is located at the corner of 47th Avenue and Burnside Street in Southeast Portland. It houses offices for the Portland Police Bureau and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.
Crowds arrived near the Kelly building around 11 p.m. local time, KOIN-TV reported.
The city has seen nightly unrest for nearly three months, since the May 25 custodial death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
On Saturday, President Trump urged leaders in Oregon to request federal assistance to help take care of the violence.
Another bad night of Rioting in Portland, Oregon. A small number of Federal troops there to protect courthouse and other Federal property only (great job!). Wanting to be asked by City & State to STOP THE RIOTS. Would bring in National Guard, end problem immediately. ASK!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 22, 2020
“Would bring in National Guard, end problem immediately,” Trump wrote. “ASK!”
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