Portland police arrest eight after rioters damage Democratic Party office, ICE facility

Posted By: Staff
January 21, 2021 @ 6:39 am
ABC National

BlakeDavidTaylor/iStock

BlakeDavidTaylor/iStockBy MORGAN WINSOR, ABC News

(PORTLAND, Ore.) — At least eight people were arrested in Portland, Oregon on Wednesday after rioters damaged both federal and private property, police said.

Dozens of protesters took to the streets of Oregon’s largest city following the inauguration of President Joe Biden. Some people were seen carrying Black Lives Matter signs, while others held banners with anti-Biden or anti-police slogans.

Although the demonstrations were largely peaceful, two protest events resulted in property damage and arrests, according to the Portland Police Bureau.

A crowd of about 150 people gathered at Revolution Hall, a music venue in southeast Portland, and marched to the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Oregon on Wednesday afternoon. Some individuals vandalized the building with graffiti and smashed windows, while others moved dumpsters into the middle of the street and lit the contents on fire, police said.

Eight people, ranging in age from 18 to 38, were arrested in connection with the event. The charges range from felony criminal mischief to possession of a destructive device. Various weapons were also seized, including Molotov cocktails, knives, batons, chemical spray and a crow bar, according to police.

Later that evening, a group of about 150 people marched to the Portland field office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Some individuals in the crowd were seen carrying pepper ball guns, electronic control weapons similar to Tasers, large fireworks, shields and rocks. Many were also wearing helmets and gas masks, police said.

Within minutes of arriving at the ICE facility, some people began throwing rocks and eggs at the building while others applied graffiti. Federal law enforcement officers responded by launching “crowd control munitions,” while Portland police officers “were standing by to address crimes in the surrounding neighborhood,” according to police.

“Details about what munitions were used, and any arrests made, will have to come from federal law enforcement,” Sgt. Kevin Allen of the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement early Thursday. “Portland Police did not deploy any CS gas.”

ABC News has reached out to the ICE Office of Public Affairs for comment.

“As always, we appreciate those who made your voices heard without resorting to criminal activity,” Allen added. “We respect the rights of free speech and assembly.”