Crowd marches in downtown Portland’s Pearl District on second consecutive night of unrest
Print/DownloadPolice set up a perimeter and detained a large group of marchers near Northwest 14th Avenue and Marshall Street during Friday night’s march through streets.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The second night of protests is underway in Portland where people gathered at Jamison Square.
A flyer posted on Twitter, asked for people to meet at 8:30 p.m. Friday for an “autonomous demonstration” against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers in Portland as well as calling for police accountability regarding violence against Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC).
The group started on Northwest 11th Avenue and Johnson Street. Sometime after 9 p.m. crowds began marching in the streets.
According to reporters walking with the protest, multiple people in the crowd were detained near Northwest 13th Avenue and Northwest Marshall Street.
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell issued a statement prior to Friday night’s demonstration saying he was aware of it, and that additional patrols would be in the area.
At 9:14 p.m., the Portland police tweeted that a crowd had begun to move and was blocking traffic. Minutes later, police set up a perimeter around a large group in an effort to contain people.
They just detained literally all of us pic.twitter.com/Piw15wZXoN
— Alissa Azar (@AlissaAzar) March 13, 2021
An independent journalist following demonstrators said everyone on Northwest Marshall Street between 13th and 14th avenues was told to sit down and stay put so they could be investigated for criminal activity. Police said people within the perimeter who did not comply with commands would be subject to tear gas and crowd control weapons.
I’m withs a protest in Northwest Portland. Portland Police have detained an entire city block. pic.twitter.com/sNPqqLWbR8
— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) March 13, 2021
“This is a temporary detention,” police tweeted at 9:52 p.m. “We will be removing you one at a time. Please remain calm and wait for directions.”
I left the kettle because a protester started yelling at me.
Police demanded my name and birthdate, wrote it on a piece of duct tape and gave it to me to put on my chest. Then they photographed me without my mask on. Here’s a photo of the officer taking my photo. pic.twitter.com/zTM8QOb6Ae— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) March 13, 2021
Just before 12:30 a.m., freelance journalist, Justin Yau, posted a video on Twitter and said 20-30 people were still being held.
More protesters have gathered at the perimeter around where Portland Police has detained a crowd from the protest earlier. Those released from within say about 20-30 remain inside. #PortlandProtests pic.twitter.com/oHNEy1HSVR
— Justin Yau (@PDocumentarians) March 13, 2021
At 12:54 a.m., James Croxton, an alt-weekly correspondent in Portland, shared an emotional photo and accompanying tweet of a young Black man lying on the ground.
This man is sobbing and seriously traumatized by what’s unfolded this evening.
— 𝕁𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤 – ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉˢᵗ – ℂ𝕣𝕠𝕩𝕥𝕠𝕟 (@jwcroxton) March 13, 2021
More officers arrived with batons at 1:12 a.m., Croxton said on Twitter.
Around 1:30 a.m. the clash between law enforcement with people in the streets dwindled down as crowds dispersed and officers left. Police said several arrests were made, but have not released details at this time.
Police used tear gas and munitions to control the crowd.
The main focus of tension over the last several months has been between demonstrators and DHS officers being stationed at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Portland. As well as the community calling for police accountability regarding violence against Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC).
Crowds gathered shortly after a fence surrounding the courthouse was taken down for the first time since last summer.
This culminated in a clash between groups of people with DHS Thursday evening ending almost two hours later in graffiti, damage to the courthouse and one arrest.
Portland police arrested Darby Howard, 22, on the steps of the federal courthouse for causing destruction during a separate demonstration in protest of a proposed pipeline project.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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