Police Declare Riot in Downtown Portland for 3rd Time This Week

According to Portland police, about a couple hundred people gathered and blocked the streets around the Justice Center on Friday. Some set off commercial grade fireworks on Southwest Main where the elk statue used to stand.

Demonstrators began marching to the Waterfront around 11:00 p.m. then back again 45 minutes later to the area of Southwest 3rd and Salmon and Madison, police said, Fox12 reported.

Around 12:53 a.m., a few protesters began throwing rocks at the Federal Courthouse and then commercial grade fireworks toward the Justice Center, police said.

Several fires were lit throughout the night including dumpster fires, Portland Fire & Rescue were not required, police said. There were also several arguments and physical fights with the group but were broken up without police intervention.

In an on-going effort to de-escalate the situation, officers “stayed away from the demonstrators, as there was not an identified life safety risk,” police said in a statement. No CS gas was used.

At about 4:00 a.m. the Federal Courthouse was attacked, and a riot was declared, including multiple calls were issued to leave or be subject to arrest.