Ian Patrick, FISM News
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Yesterday was the official one year anniversary of the death of George Floyd which sparked a continuation of the year-long bout of protests and riots over police brutality against black Americans. A group of people gathered in Portland, Oregon to march in the city in remembrance of Floyd. According to Portland police, one group of 100 people marched peacefully in the city during the late afternoon. Another group, however, gathered at around 8 p.m. and became riotous over the course of the night.
The Portland Police Bureau reports that this latter group of people began to block intersections at around 8 p.m. yesterday night, which led to people trying to light a dumpster on fire next to the Justice Center building in the city.
Dumpster Fire at the Justice Center near SW 3rd and Main set by people in the crowd. pic.twitter.com/pjRmMS3LkU
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) May 26, 2021
Police were sent to break up the assembly, which at that point was deemed unlawful, and were met with projectiles from the crowd including “frozen water bottles, glass bottles, eggs, and metal spikes.” Some even shot “mortar-style fireworks” at the police.
The police pushed back the crowd enough to allow firefighters to put out the dumpster fire, and then retreated from the area. Footage obtained by independent reporters from the night, show that the group of rioters followed the police upon their retreat.
Portland #antifa tried to burn down the Justice Center tonight to commemorate their burning of the same occupied facility a year ago. #BLM pic.twitter.com/jZW8mIwIl1
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) May 26, 2021
The police report that after the fire was put out the crowd moved to the Portland City Hall, destroying public property along the way.
As the #antifa have dispersed to other parts of downtown Portland tonight after setting the fire & smashing up city hall, they’re now targeting businesses again. They’re breaking into stores so that others will loot them.pic.twitter.com/2uQrKSvqiJ
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) May 26, 2021
At city hall, the crowd vandalized and smashed up the building. As the night wore on, targeted arrests were made and the crowd eventually dispersed. The Police Bureau report noted that some of the individuals in the protest deemed the night a “success.”
Portland was not the only city ravaged by George Floyd memorial riots. Images show the damage left in New York City from BLM protests that devolved into riotous behavior.
NYPD released photos of how #BLM protesters trashed the streets for #GeorgeFloyd tonight. pic.twitter.com/AoHJ3ER06K
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) May 26, 2021