Posted on August 26, 2020

Portland Protests Move to City Hall on 3-Month Anniversary of George Floyd’s Death

Jim Ryan, Oregon Live, August 26, 2020

Portland protesters gathered Tuesday for the 90th consecutive day — three months after the death of George Floyd.

Demonstrators assembled downtown at Shemanski Park, at the north end of the South Park Blocks. After 9 p.m., the group of a couple hundred people marched to City Hall, where they chanted slogans and some spoke to the crowd.

Within about 15 minutes of arriving, some in the crowd had graffitied the rotunda, smashed a door switch and broken at least three glass doors. Police said several demonstrators entered City Hall and that security features, including a surveillance camera, were smashed.

Police quickly declared the protest an unlawful assembly. Shortly after, a line of police approached and pushed the crowd away from City Hall. Officers stood guard, keeping demonstrators away from the building and making numerous arrests.

For the next hour, demonstrators marched through streets in the area, gathering back at City Hall. Some in the crowd broke windows at City Hall, and police said a man ignited an aerosol can while spraying it toward the building.

Police declared the event a riot, citing “the extreme life safety concerns” of security guards working inside City Hall. Officers dispersed the crowd and arrested more people.

The officers were hit by items including eggs and bottles, according to police, and someone shined a powerful laser in an officer’s eyes three times. Protesters also shattered a bus stop shelter, police said.

The crowd again marched throughout the area, and police at midnight converged on City Hall, reminding protesters of the riot declaration and moving them away. Officers arrested several more people.

Police ultimately arrested 23 adults and detained two youths.

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{snip} Police arrested 23 adults and detained two youths in the downtown demonstration, marking the third consecutive night that over 20 protesters were arrested.

Those arrested in the most recent demonstration are accused of charges including disorderly conduct, interfering with a peace officer, trespassing and resisting arrest.

One is accused of assaulting a public safety officer, and another is accused of trying to assault a public safety officer. A third faces an allegation of burglary, and a fourth is accused of unlawful directing of light from a laser pointer.

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced earlier this month that his prosecutors won’t pursue demonstrators accused of interfering with police, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, escape or harassment if the allegations don’t involve “deliberate’’ property damage, theft or force against another person or threats of force, Schmidt said.

Schmidt’s office also won’t prosecute people on a riot accusation alone. Prosecutors will proceed with a riot case only if it includes an accompanying allegation of specific property damage or use of force, he said.

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{snip} Four people who took part in demonstrations in Portland and were exposed to chemical agents or sustained injuries from impact munitions filed a lawsuit Monday against Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and 200 federal law enforcement officers.

Angelica Clark, Ellen Urbani Gass, Nathaniel West and Rowan Maher are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which alleges the federal government used excessive force against peaceful protesters. The lawsuit identifies the class as people who protested downtown in July and were exposed to teargas, impact munitions and those who were beaten by federal officers.

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