After several individuals broke windows and entered City Hall in Downtown Portland unlawfully, a fire was lit outside of the building, prompting a declaration of a riot and multiple arrests.
The group, roughly 150 people, began a march from Shemanski Park located in the 1000 block of Southwest Park Avenue about 9:30 p.m. The group walked directly to City Hall in the 1200 block of Southwest 4th Avenue. Many in the crowd carried shields, wore helmets, gas masks, and body armor.
Within minutes of the crowd arriving, people blocked vehicular traffic on Southwest 4th Avenue and were seen spray painting and vandalizing City Hall. Crowd members were seen entering City Hall and breaking windows that were not covered up by boards. Others were seen smashing security features on the building including a surveillance camera. Once crowd members had breached the doors to City Hall, several people entered the closed building, including those with “press” affixed to their person. Due to the seriousness of the crowd’s criminal behavior, the incident commander determined that the event was an unlawful assembly.
Warnings were issued over loudspeaker advising the crowd that failure to leave will subject them to arrest and/or the use of crowd control munitions including but not limited to tear gas and impact weapons. The crowd was directed to leave the area to the south and west. After the crowd was advised to leave several times, most members stayed. Since the crowd did not leave, officers moved in and began to disperse the crowd. During the dispersal, several arrests were made.
As most of the crowd was moved away, and to reduce the intensity of the situation, officers disengaged. More warnings were issued to those still in the area that the event was an unlawful assembly and they needed to disperse…