Riot Declared in Downtown Portland as Protests Continue
Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2020 11:25 am
Journalist Justin Yau lies handcuffed on the ground with police officers standing beside him, after they dispersed protesters during a demonstration against racial injustices in Portland, July 1, 2020 in this still image obtained from social media video.
PORTLAND, ORE. - Authorities say a riot was declared in downtown Portland, Oregon, for the third time this week when the Hatfield Federal Courthouse was attacked early Saturday.
KOIN reports shortly before 1 a.m., protesters began throwing rocks at the Federal Courthouse and then firing commercial grade fireworks toward the Justice Center. Some people dragged material and barricades and began to make a fence in the area.
Portland police "stayed away from the demonstrators, as there was not an identified life safety risk," officials said in a release. They said no tear gas was used.
Demonstrations in the city following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May have grown increasingly violent. Early Friday, someone broke the windows of the federal courthouse and threw fireworks that started a fire inside the building.