100 detained, 13 arrested following march in Portland, Oregon
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PORTLAND, Ore. (NewsNation Now) — Portland police arrested 13 people and detained a crowd of about 100 protesters Friday night at a demonstration.
A group began marching in the street, blocking traffic, at about 9 p.m. PST, the Portland Police Bureau said in a release Saturday morning.
Police say they formed a perimeter around the protesters, detaining them for suspected criminal activity after some people began breaking windows.
“Those that were being detained were identified and photographed, as part of a criminal investigation, before being released,” PPB said. “Some refused to comply and locked arms together in an effort to interfere with the investigation. Officers escorted them away and they were arrested.”
PPB said officers found several items left behind by people inside the perimeter, including a crowbar, hammers, bear spray, slugging weapon with rocks, high impact slingshot and knives.
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“As the event unfolded, groups formed on the outside and physically challenged officers. Some threw rocks and full cans of beer at officers,” PPB said. “Officers deployed some OC spray and one impact munition.”
Two of the 13 people arrested were suspects carrying firearms, wearing body armor and helmets, according to police.
Thirteen people were charged with crimes like interfering with a peace officer and disorderly conduct.
In January, a group of protesters carrying signs against President Joe Biden and police marched in Portland on Inauguration Day and damaged the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Oregon, police said.
On Saturday, three civil rights groups called for U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the Portland Police Bureau in light of Friday’s arrests.
In a statement, the Oregon Justice Resource Center, the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Oregon and the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon said: “Under the authority of Mayor and Police Commissioner Ted Wheeler and Police Chief Chuck Lovell, what PPB did last night — kettling — is an aggressive and indiscriminate police tactic of surrounding and boxing in a group of people and blocking off all exit points.
“Both the Oregon Justice Resource Center and ACLU of Oregon are currently representing clients in federal lawsuits against PPB’s use of the kettling tactic against anti-Trump protesters in 2017. In neither case has the court approved of or found constitutional this abusive tactic.”
Portland has been the site of frequent protests, many involving violent clashes between officers and demonstrators, ever since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. Over the summer, there were demonstrations for more than 100 straight days.
Mayor Ted Wheeler has decried what he described as a segment of violent agitators who detract from the message of police accountability and should be subject to more severe punishment.
NewsNation affiliate KOIN and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
