More than 60 Portland 911 calls go unanswered overnight as police respond to 'violent, tumultuous' riot where protesters threw 'softball-sized' rocks and glass bottles at officers
A riot was declared around midnight Sunday in Portland as protesters flocked to a law enforcement builing, continuing a nightly ritual in Oregon's biggest city.
Over 60 calls to Portland police went unheeded overnight as officers were deployed to quell the protests where officers used crowd control munitions to disperse demonstrators outside the Penumbra Kelly building.
Protesters threw 'softball-size' rocks, glass bottles, and pointed green lasers at officers' eyes, the police department reported on Twitter, documenting the unrest that has continued for 80 consecutive nights following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The department also said security cameras had been spray painted, the building was vandalized and protesters trespassed on the closed property.
Portland police said that the crowd of hundreds of people blocked traffic for three hours outside the Penumbra Kelly Building in the 4700 block of East Burnside Street.
That building is owned by the city and used by city and county employees, including police.
A riot was declared around midnight Sunday in Portland as protesters gathered outside the Penumbra Kelly building. Portland police are seen in riot gear during a standoff with protesters early Sunday
A handicapped protester screams at police during a standoff at a Portland precinct on Saturday night with barricades painted with the Black Lives Matter logo
A protester screams at police during a standoff with police in downtown Portland Saturday night
The department said protesters engaged in 'violent, tumultuous conduct' after peaceful protests escalated with participants chanting 'take it to the streets!'
Cops were on the scene trying to disperse protesters from midnight to about 2.45am local time, as participants ignored officers and argued among themselves.
'At the time of this release over 60 calls for police service were holding around the city,' the Police Bureau said in a statement Sunday morning.
'Some had been holding for the length of the events described here. Call types ranged from theft, vandalism, suspicious activity, hazards, hit and run, burglary, violation of restraining order, alarms, stolen cars, harassment and many others.'
Two Portland officers were injured in the riot by rocks thrown from the crowd. Both were hospitalized for further treatment.
Police shared photos of the rocks thrown at officers, including one that weighed 9.5 pounds and was thrown by a person wearing a 'press' badge.
Portland police said they did not deploy CS tear gas but did deploy smoke.
A protester is arrested early Sunday as cops dispersed the crowd. A riot was declared around midnight and officers were on the scene through 2.45am clearing out the area
A long line of protesters in masks pictured during the standoff
Over 60 calls to Portland police went unheeded overnight as officers were deployed to quell the protests where officers used crowd control munitions to disperse demonstrators outside the Penumbra Kelly building
Photos from the scene show officers flocking to the area in trucks
Portland police announced the riot around midnight and for hours urged protesters to stop throwing rocks and to clear the area
On Saturday afternoon a rally organized by a small group of far-right demonstrators saw attendees trade paint balls and pepper spray with counter-protesters.
About 30 people were participating in the Patriot Prayer rally in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center.
Some of those participants were armed with automatic weapons, KOIN-TV initially reported, but later said it was unclear what kind of weapons were involved.
The group clashed with counter-protesters through downtown streets, and some counter-protesters blocked the exit of a garage where several Patriot Prayer members had parked.
A KOIN photojournalist reported hearing at least two gunshots at the garage. Police said in a statement that 'a person allegedly fired a gun.'
Two Portland officers were injured in the riot by rocks thrown from the crowd. Police shared this image of heavy, massive rocks thrown at officers
Police this photo of objects thrown at police in the scuffle on the 80th consecutive night of unrest in Portland following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis
Portland police Lt. Greg Pashley told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the department would investigate.
Earlier in the day, police said they made four arrests overnight as they dispersed a protest that was headed toward the offices of the police union.
The bureau declared the demonstration of a couple hundred people an unlawful assembly Friday night, saying people were throwing fireworks, golf balls and chunks of concrete at officers.
Some of those in crowd wore the word 'press' on the outside of their clothing 'as cover,' police said.
Demonstrations, often violent, have happened nightly in Portland for more than two months following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Participants have repeatedly broken into the offices of the Portland Police Association, vandalized them and set fires.
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