Portland police on Tuesday declared a riot amid a destructive downtown demonstration held on the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death.
About 200 people gathered Tuesday night outside the Multnomah County Justice Center. Some in the crowd lit fireworks and a dumpster fire, tagged the Justice Center with graffiti and broke windows at nearby Portland City Hall.
Some also threw water bottles and fireworks directly at police officers.
Police declared a riot about 10 p.m.
Marchers later smashed windows at locations including a jewelry and precious metals business, Starbucks shops, a credit union and Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
Portland Police said they made targeted arrests downtown after the protest was declared a riot Tuesday evening. Five people were booked at Multnomah County Corrections:
- Elizabeth Hall, 30, who was charged with Criminal Mischief II
- Emery Hall, 30, who was charged with Criminal Mischief II and Escape III
- Rhiannon Millar-Griffin, 23, who was charged with Criminal Mischief I and Riot
- Jacob Myers, 22, who was charged with Criminal Mischief I
- Jarrid Huber, 21, charged with Arson I, Criminal Mischief I, five counts of Criminal Mischief II and Riot
Portland Police said they found frozen water bottles, eggs and metal spikes after clearing the protest Tuesday evening.
A separate demonstration held earlier Tuesday featured a rally at Southeast Portland’s Revolution Hall, a march and a silent sit-in on the Burnside Bridge.
Tuesday marked the passing of a year since Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on him for more than eight minutes.
Floyd’s death, which was captured on video, touched off a wave of racial justice protests throughout the country and world, with Portland’s demonstrations spanning more than 100 consecutive nights.
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