Starting in May 2020, demonstrations over the police killing of George Floyd have been held in the city of Portland, Oregon, concurrent with protests in other cities around the United States and around the world. As of July 2020, many of the protests, which have been held every day since May 28, have drawn more than 1,000 participants. Some of the protests have been entirely peaceful, while others have involved heated confrontations with police, sometimes involving injury, declaration of riot, and use of tear gas and other weapons. The Oregon chapter of the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the City of Portland, the Portland Police Bureau, and other law enforcement entities on June 28, claiming that police targeted and attacked journalists and legal observers. In early July, the federal government sent law enforcement officers to Portland, and engaged in tactics that have been criticized by Portland's mayor and most of the state's congressional delegation.
Background
According to The New York Times, "Demonstrators in Portland, including some who identify as antifa, the loose coalition of self-described anti-fascist activists, have had years of conflict with law enforcement. But after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis set off a nationwide movement for racial justice and police accountability, the protest in Portland drew thousands to the streets."
Organizers
A number of different organizations have led demonstrations, including Rose City Justice and the Albina Ministerial Alliance. The Facebook and Twitter accounts associated with the Pacific Northwest Youth Liberation Front (or PNW Youth Liberation Front) have served as "information hubs" for sharing protest plans. The group does not have identifiable leaders and describes itself as a "decentralized network of autonomous youth collectives dedicated to direct action towards total liberation". The groups' Facebook and Twitter accounts were created in February 2017, and have 3,600 and 11,000 followers, respectively, as of early June 2020. The group has used a black flag emoji, which often symbolizes anarchism.
Demonstrations
May
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered on May 28, at one point blocking the entrance to the Multnomah County Justice Center. There were two peaceful demonstrations held on May 29. A "Eulogy for Black America" was organized by the Portland chapter of NAACP at Terry Schrunk Plaza in downtown Portland, and a vigil was organized by the PNW Youth Liberation Front at Peninsula Park, in the north Portland part of the Piedmont neighborhood.
Crowd estimates for the demonstration at Terry Schrunk Plaza ranged from a "hundred or so" to "hundreds" of people; the event included several speakers including Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. She was reportedly "visibly overcome by emotion" and said, "This is the reality of being black in America. Over and over and over again, black people have been killed, and there has been silence from the majority community....Black people are tired. Black people are exhausted by racism." The president of the NAACP chapter, Reverend E.D. Mondainé, also spoke.
More than 1,000 people gathered at Peninsula Park, where ministers and Black Panthers spoke against police brutality. From the crowd, hundreds marched to downtown Portland via Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and the Burnside Bridge. Along the way, some people started breaking windows, tagging buildings with graffiti, looting, and setting vehicles and buildings on fire. A riot ensued, prompting Mayor Ted Wheeler to declare a state of emergency. A fire was started inside the Multnomah County Justice Center. Pioneer Place and other storefronts saw looting. The riot lasted for approximately 5 hours; two officers were injured, and 13 people were arrested. The Portland Business Alliance estimated the riot cost local businesses "tens of millions" of dollars because of property damage, looting, and lost wages.
On May 30, Rev. Mondainé posted a video online urging protesters to stay home and calling looting and violence counterproductive. Demonstrators gathered in downtown Portland again; crowd estimates ranged from hundreds to a thousand. One group attempted to break into the Lloyd Center; riot police broke up a group of approximately 200 people outside the shopping mall. Police had arrested 16 people by 11 p.m. At least 51 demonstrators were arrested during the night, bringing the total number of arrests to date to 64.
On the afternoon of May 31, a crowd assembled at the intersection of Southwest 3rd Avenue and Main Street in downtown. At one point, in a show of solidarity with Black Lives Matter, some police officers took a knee alongside protesters. By nightfall there were approximately 6,000 peaceful demonstrators.[32] Shortly after the curfew took effect at 8 p.m., police dispersed the crowd outside the Multnomah County Justice Center using tear gas. Separately, thousands of people gathered at Laurelhurst Park in southeast Portland, and others assembled outside a former police precinct at the intersection of East Burnside Street and 47th Avenue. Police did not intervene as the group marched from the Multnomah County Justice Center to Pioneer Courthouse Square and back. The Pearl District Neighborhood Association was "advised of potential protest activity" in the Pearl District and the Northwest District. Around 11:30 p.m., saying projectiles were thrown at officers, police declared "a civil disturbance and unlawful assembly" and ordered protesters to leave.
June
On June 1, three demonstrations were organized in Portland. One was held at the intersection of Northeast Sandy and 57th. Others were planned in downtown and at the intersection of Southeast Stark Street and 13th Avenue. More than 1,000 protesters staged a die-in on the Burnside Bridge, then continued to downtown's Pioneer Courthouse Square. Following two hours of speeches, chants, and music, demonstrators returned to the city's east side via the same bridge. Portland Police allowed use of the bridge, and the evening's events remained mostly peaceful. A drone photograph of the die-in by photographer Andrew Wallner earned more than a million reactions on social media posts.
On the fifth day of protests, hundreds gathered at Pioneer Courthouse Square then staged another die-in on the Burnside Bridge. A second demonstration was organized at Revolution Hall. By the evening, thousands had gathered at Pioneer Courthouse Square. One group returned to the Burnside Bridge, while hundreds remained in the square. Around 8 p.m., the two groups merged and numbered approximately 10,000. The demonstrations were mostly peaceful until later in the evening; most protesters marched across the Burnside Bridge, but police used stun grenades and tear gas on a smaller, separate group of people who were throwing projectiles. Police arrested several people, and 16 were detained. Elsewhere in the metropolitan area, there were demonstrations in Cedar Mill and at Tualatin's Lake at the Commons.
The first few days of June were identified, as of July 8, as having the largest crowds of the Portland George Floyd protests, exceeding 10,000 people. Portland Police Bureau (PPB) declared a riot at one of the protests in early June. Arson, looting, and vandalism, and injuries to two officers were reported since the demonstrations began on May 28. Approximately 100 people had been arrested As of June 2, 2020. In early June, local businesses reported losses totaling millions of dollars as the result of vandalism and looting, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Several thousand people demonstrated on June 3, gathering at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, where Rev. Mondainé and others spoke. Later, groups splintered, with many gathering outside the Multnomah County Justice Center once again. There were other small protests throughout the city, including one in north Portland's Columbia Park and another at Pioneer Courthouse Square. The Oregonian reported an overall crowd size of approximately 8,000.
Thousands demonstrated on June 4. The protests were peaceful until late at night, and twelve arrests were made. Damian Lillard helped lead thousands across the Morrison Bridge into downtown, where protests gathered at Waterfront Park.
There were multiple demonstrations planned on June 5. Don't Shoot Portland organized the "George Floyd Memorial and Benefit Show" at Laurelwood Park. In the Woodstock neighborhood, the family-friendly "Black Lives Matter March & Rally" saw up to 2,000 people march from the All Saints Episcopal along Southeast Woodstock to 52nd, and no incidents requiring police intervention. Demonstrators also gathered at Revolution Hall for the "No Justice No Peace Rally & March". Portland Trail Blazers players Rodney Hood, Nassir Little, and Anfernee Simons all joined. In the evening, protesters pushed down fencing in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center and police used gas and stun grenades for crowd dispersal.
On June 7 in Portland, outside the city's Justice Center, 48 people were jailed in protest. The protest and march originated at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Demonstrators gathered at Southeast Stark Street and 12th Avenue on June 9. There were approximately 500 people outside the Multnomah County Justice Center by 9 p.m.
On June 10, an afternoon rally to disband the Portland Police was held in Terry Schrunk Plaza. In the evening a ride leaving Irving Park was organized by Portland's chapter of Black Girls Do Bike. Several thousand people marched from Southeast Stark Street and 12th Avenue to Unthank Park. Protesters failed to create an autonomous zone similar to Seattle's Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone. Approximately 1,000 people demonstrated on June 11 after an already-planned city budget meeting led to historic levels of public comment, with one city commissioner, Chloe Eudaly, voting "no," stating that the proposed cuts to the police bureau fell short of what demonstrators were calling for. A unanimous vote was required to pass the budget. "While my colleague can take a principled 'no' stance on passing this budget, I as a Black woman cannot," Commissioner Hardesty responded in a statement. "I do not want to let this detract from the very real steps taken, but it is an important reminder on what performative allyship looks like."
For the 17th day, protesters assembled in various parts of the Portland area on June 13. The main march, with at least 1,000 people, went from Revolution Hall, the starting point for most of the marches, and went to Cleveland High School, including a stretch of Southeast Division St. from 11th to 26th. The Clinton Street Theater displayed a quote from Malcolm X on its marquee as protesters marched past. N1789M, a Cessna 208 Caravan surveillance plane linked with the U.S. Marshals Service circled overhead for 3 hours.
About 1,000 demonstrators marched to Jefferson High School on June 14, the 18th day of protests. A statue of Thomas Jefferson was toppled from its pedestal.
At a second city budget vote on the issue, commissioners voted 3–1 to cut PPB funding by $15 million. This would terminate the Gun Violence Reduction Team and cut funding for school resource officers and transit police, while reallocating nearly $5 million to Portland Street Response, which would respond to calls concerning homeless people instead of police. Commissioner Chloe Eudaly again voted "no".
The group Care Not Cops, who wanted more money cut from PPB funding, later that day demonstrated outside of Mayor Wheeler's apartment in Northwest Portland. By midnight, they had been joined by hundreds of people, who began blocking off the streets at Northwest Glisan and 10th Avenue with impromptu. Just after 5:30 a.m. police cleared the scene; a police spokesman said there were only about 50 protesters left by that time. Mayor Wheeler helped in cleaning up the debris.
A statue of the first U.S. president, George Washington, on Northeast Sandy Boulevard and 57th Avenue was toppled by demonstrators on June 18.
June 23 was the sentencing date for Jeremy Christian, who was convicted of murder and attempted murder for an attack in 2017. Three men, all of them white, attempted to stop Christian's attack on two black girls; Christian killed two of them and injured the third. In commemoration of that event, hundreds gathered at Powell Park on SE 26th and Powell for a demonstration and march focusing on white allies. They marched to Reed College, which one of the men killed had attended.
County officials removed a fence that had stood around the Justice Center for several weeks on June 26.
July
Officers from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were deployed following President Trump's executive order that sought to protect statues. Willamette Week reported that several federal law enforcement agencies were deployed to Portland on July 2, including the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Protective Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations. DHS sent officers in tactical gear from "more than a half-dozen" federal agencies and departments from around the country. Portland Deputy Police Chief Chris Davis said his department had not requested federal assistance and that federal officers' presence would "complicate things" for the PPB.
On July 1–2, protesters set fire to the Elk sculpture and fountain in the Plaza Blocks that resulted in structural damage to the granite base; deemed a safety hazard by the Regional Arts & Culture Council, the city removed the unharmed elk on July 2, and later, the fountain.
Multiple demonstrations took place in the city on July 4 including an "Anti-Independence Day" rally that began at Portland State University's Native American Student & Community Center, expressing indigenous support for Black Americans, followed by the "Bars Up Guns Down" motorcycle ride from Revolution Hall to the Justice Center and back in support of Black Lives Matter. That night, several hundred people gathered at Chapman Square and let off illegal ariel fireworks, some of which were aimed directly at the Justice Center, actions that were condemned by the PPB and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. Police twice declared a riot on the national holiday, first at 4 am and again after 11 pm. Protests continued on July 5 for the 39th consecutive day. Seven people faced federal charges for their activities at the Justice Center demonstrations over the July 4 weekend.
Local journalists Cory Elia and Lesley McLam sued the City of Portland and law enforcement agencies after having been arrested on June 30. The lawsuit sought a restraining order that would bar law enforcement officers from violating journalists' rights, as well as seeking damages for injuries. The suit resulted in a restraining order.
On July 9 about 50 people marched in Lents Park and about 100 gathered downtown by the Justice Center. In the same neighborhood, a young Black woman was fatally shot, and the police did not immediately identify any suspects. A man from Texas was arrested for striking a Portland police officer three times with a hammer on July 10. On July 11, protester Donavan La Bella was shot in the head with a "less lethal" round by federal police, suffering facial and skull fractures and having to undergo facial reconstruction surgery.[88] On July 14, a group marched from Kenton Park to the Portland Police Association building on Lombard street, where the crowd grew to more than 200 people. After demonstrators faced off with police officers, the police declared a riot.
During the protests, tactical officers from the U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group and U.S. Customs and Border Protection's elite BORTAC unit were sent to Portland to protect federal property. Starting on or about July 14, however, federal agents in unmarked vehicles began arresting protesters who were not near federal property. Rose City Justice led a march of 200–250 people from Revolution Hall to Pioneer Courthouse Square on July 14, after having previously suspended its activities. On July 14, Mayor Wheeler called on Acting U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf to remove federal agents from the city, accusing them of causing violence and using "life-threatening tactics" and saying "we do not need or want their help". The following day, four of Oregon's U.S. lawmakers issued a statement condemning the recent actions of federal law enforcement officials in Portland, who used tear gas and other aggressive techniques multiple times since July 10.[93] U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici and Earl Blumenauer accused the federal government of a "politically driven" response and of seeking "to target, attack, or silence those peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights". As of 15 July 2020, federal officers had arrested at least 19 people.[87] Portland police closed the Plaza Blocks, a hub for protesters at the Justice Center, at 5:00 a.m. on July 16.
Starting the early morning of July 15, "rapid deployment teams" of unidentified federal agents from multiple agencies arrested protesters and forcefully took them in unmarked vans.[95][96] A story focusing on the search, detention, questioning, and brief incarceration of Mark Pettibone, a 29 year old protester, was first reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting and picked up the next day by national outlets, including a New York Times story authored by independent Portland journalist Sergio Olmos. Several witnesses reported seeing federal law enforcement officers in camouflage "emerge from unmarked vehicles, grab protesters without explanation, and drive off." Pettibone stated that he was "basically tossed" into an unmarked van and transported to a holding cell in the federal courthouse, where he was read his Miranda rights; he was released without any citation or arrest record. Similar incidents involving plainclothes officers of unknown agencies, occurred the following day. The failure of officers to identify what agency they report to is a tactic that drew comparisons to actions in preparation for the Donald Trump photo op at St. John's Church in Washington, D.C. several weeks prior. The actions by federal agents have been condemned by the mayor, governor, members of Congress, and independent commentators. The Oregon attorney general, Ellen Rosenblum, filed a lawsuit against several federal agencies. The American Civil Liberties Union added federal agencies as defendants to its existing lawsuit against local law enforcement entities. These arrests were reported as having rejuvenated the protests in Portland, prompting crowds in the hundreds for the first time in several weeks, and drawing criticism from Mayor Wheeler, who is also the police commissioner and has been widely considered to condone use of force by local police.
On July 18, protesters gathered at the PPB's North Precinct, taunting officers and vandalizing patrol vehicles. When police dispersed a group near North Interstate Avenue, protesters threw rocks and paint-filled balloons at officers, injuring one. Protesters also broke into the Portland Police Association building and set it on fire. Officers extinguished the fire and declared a riot, making seven arrests and deploying tear gas but not CS gas. Protesters made barricades out of fencing they removed from around the federal courthouse. Conflict resumed overnight on July 20. Hundreds of protesters, including what Portland police described as "dozens of people with shields, helmets, gas masks, umbrellas, bats, and hockey sticks," repeatedly advanced on the U.S. courthouse. At about 1:30 a.m., protesters set a fire in the portico, adding wood and debris to make it larger. Federal agents emerged from inside and deployed tear gas to repel the protesters. Portland police officers were not involved in crowd control measures and, they stressed, did not fire tear gas.
Assault on Chris David
That same night, Navy veteran Chris David, wearing his Naval Academy gear, approached some of the federal agents to ask them why they were there. As seen on video, David was standing still when one agent hit him forcefully five times with a baton; another agent sprayed David's face with a gas, which David said was pepper spray. As a result of the incident, David's hand was broken in two places.
Around 1:45 a.m., when another group of unidentified armed federal agents advanced on a group of protesters, a woman wearing only a face mask and a stocking cap intervened. She stood in the street and for 15 minutes struck a number of poses in front of them, at one point sitting yoga-style on the pavement, before rising and disappearing into the crowd. The federal agents dispersed.
Responses
Government
Portland mayor Ted Wheeler tweeted, "Burning buildings with people inside, stealing from small and large businesses, threatening and harassing reporters. All in the middle of a pandemic where people have already lost everything. This isn't calling for meaningful change in our communities, this is disgusting." Sara Boone, chief of Portland Fire & Rescue, attributed the protests and violence to Floyd's death and "a system that allows people of color to 'feel fear every day.'" The city implemented a curfew from 8pm on May 30 to 6am on May 31. On May 31, Wheeler extended the curfew for another night (8pm to 6am). He said the demonstration has been "co-opted by rioters and looters", and Jami Resch, chief of the Portland Police Bureau, called the rioters a "group of selfish individuals".
On May 30, TriMet paused bus and MAX Light Rail service to and from downtown and the Rose Quarter after the demonstrations started. The following day, the agency stopped bus, MAX, and Portland Streetcar[114] service starting at 3:30 p.m., and said in a statement: "Our hearts at TriMet are heavy following the violence that damaged our city overnight, along with the emotions that are so raw here and across the nation. While TriMet appreciates the First Amendment right to protest, we hope that it is done without violence or vandalism." The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) blocked the interchanges into the city along I-5, I-84, I-405, and U.S. Route 26.Willamette Week's Matthew Singer said ODOT's move was "without precedent in recent memory". Motorized scooter services (including Lime and Spin) were temporarily suspended in select parts of Northwest and Southwest Portland, the Central Eastside, and the Lloyd District.
On June 1, Gov. Kate Brown activated 50 National Guard and 100 state police troopers. Wheeler extended the same curfew for a third night. Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, said at a press conference: "What I saw at the Justice Center ... was sickening. This has to stop and in order for that to happen in the city of Portland, we need help. We need bodies, we need more numbers to do something to stop this ridiculous violence. This just cannot keep up." The city's curfew was lifted on June 2. Elected officeholders (including Wheeler, Williams, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill, and Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese), law enforcement officials, and black demonstrators and community leaders met for the first time.[118][119] The Hawthorne Bridge's west-bound lanes were closed for security purposes on the evening of June 2. Resch said, "I want to recognize the thousands of demonstrators who came downtown in a peaceful manner and exercised their First Amendment rights. There are many thousands of you who are not involved in the violence and destruction and I thank you. I still hear your message and I know the others who are engaging in criminal acts do not represent you."
The Oregon Convention Center's (OCC) spires were illuminated yellow as a "beacon of hope for our suffering and silenced communities of color". Metro, which operates the venue, said, "Our venues are located in areas with deep legacies of racial injustices and we support peaceful demonstrations to stand together to dismantle systemic racism and hatred." Additionally, the OCC's executive director said the venue "is an economic driver for our state and the spires have become as much of a staple in the skyline at the White Stag on Burnside. We will continue to shine bright in community solidarity, providing a beacon of hope for Oregonians."
On June 5, Wheeler pledged to "limit the ways police respond" by restricting use of sonic weapons and tear gas "if police had a viable alternative". He tweeted: "Effective immediately, I have directed @Portlandpolice to use LRAD only to share information and not as a sonic warning tone function."
On June 17, City Council reduced the police bureau's budget by about $16 million, or six percent.
Federal
On July 13, President Trump praised federal authorities for their response to the Portland protests, saying they had done "a great job". Speaking at the White House, Trump said, "Portland was totally out of control, and they went in, and I guess we have many people right now in jail and we very much quelled it, and if it starts again, we’ll quell it again very easily. It’s not hard to do, if you know what you’re doing." On July 16, Acting U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Chad Wolf met with federal law enforcement officials in Portland after issuing a press release condemning "rampant, long-lasting violence" in Portland, including a timeline alleging violence by anarchists on Portland streets. Wolf said, "This siege can end if state and local officials decide to take appropriate action instead of refusing to enforce the law. DHS will not abdicate its solemn duty to protect federal facilities and those within them." On July 19, Trump tweeted:
We are trying to help Portland, not hurt it. Their leadership has, for months, lost control of the anarchists and agitators. They are missing in action. We must protect Federal property, AND OUR PEOPLE. These were not merely protesters, these are the real deal!
Both the mayor of Portland and the governor of Oregon called for federal officers to leave the city, with the governor describing the federal action as being "like adding gasoline to a fire".
Police
On June 6, PPB chief of police Resch, announced that she had appointed Chuck Lovell as "the exact right person at the exact right moment" to serve as the new city police chief; Resch stated that she would remain on the force but in another role. Lovell, who became the bureau’s fourth Black police chief, expressed hope that police and the community could join together to build trust and change the institutional disregard for human life that led to Floyd’s death.
A month later, on July 8, the executive board of the Portland Police Association expressed "no confidence" in City Council, and expressed frustration with its perceived lack of support for the police bureau. The following day, the PPB deputy police chief, Chris Davis, commented on the challenges of coordinating with federal officers, and the distinction between what he termed "legitimate protest" vs. "criminal activity."
Community
Rev. Mondainé of Portland's NAACP chapter spoke against looting and vandalism.[134] Some restaurant owners expressed support for the protesters via social media and by contributing to organizations working to assist people of color and combat police brutality, among other causes. Le Pigeon sustained damage during the demonstrations; owner Gabriel Rucker said, "To the person that smashed my window last night I hear you and I hope you find a voice that screams louder than broken glass. To the person who broke my window last night I love you and if you were hungry I would cook you a meal."
The Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing organized a Zoom conference. More than 320 people participated, and committee members passed a resolution asking elected and law officials to "stand against white supremacy and police violence". Furthermore, the resolution says, "We must do more than make symbolic statements against racism. We must change the outcomes of policing, reducing incidents of violence, and the targeting of communities of color and other marginalized groups." On June 1, the organization SOLVE organized a volunteer cleanup effort in downtown in collaboration with local businesses. Hundreds of volunteers filled approximately 150 trash bags, while social distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In early June, local business owners of color launched the Portland Cleanup Project.
In late June, Rose City Justice, the organization that had organized the largest marches, ceased sponsoring marches in response to questions and concerns from other entities in the Black Lives Matter movement. Some expressed dissatisfaction with large demonstrations that did not directly engage in direct action and civil disobedience to effect change; others questioned whether the donations the group had received, which exceeded $24,000, were being put to appropriate use.
The Oregon chapter of the ACLU filed a suit against the City of Portland, the Portland Police Bureau, and other law enforcement entities on June 28, claiming that police targeted and attacked journalists and legal observers.
