PORTLAND, Ore. — Protests in Portland resumed Friday night after demonstrations had paused for more than a week due to the poor air quality in the city from Oregon’s wildfires.
Protesters arrived outside of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building near the South Waterfront at around 9 p.m. According to independent reporter Garrison Davis, federal officers were waiting behind the fence of the building as protesters approached.
Portland police said any inquiries about federal officers' involvement would need to be directed to the Federal Protective Service.
At around 9:45 p.m. Portland police arrived and declared an unlawful assembly.
Police demanded people move away from the ICE building. Portland police said if the order was not obeyed, protesters could be subject to arrest, citations or the use of crowd control munitions.
Other independent journalists at the scene reported law enforcement officers used tear gas to try to disperse protesters. Videos from the scene show people being detained.
Police arrested 11 people who they say were engaged in criminal activity and threw objects at officers.
The following individuals were charged and booked into Multnomah County Jail:
- Callen Quinn-Ward, 20, of Portland -- Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Matthew King, 34, of Portland - Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Aiden Brunola, 21, of Lake Mary, Florida - Interfering with a Peace Officer, Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Resisting Arrest, Assaulting a Public Safety Officer, Unlawful Use of a Weapon
- Alexa Grefera, 27, of Portland - Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Andrew Neal, 25, of Portland - Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Brian Kinnes, 23, of Portland - Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Mason Klepp, 20, of Portland - Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Veronica Misloski, 30, of Portland - Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer, Resisting Arrest
- Kermit Polsoun, 42, of Portland - Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree (3 counts)
- Matthew Germaine, 41, of Toledo, Washington - Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer, Resisting Arrest
- Mario Page, 41, of Portland - Interfering with a Peace Officer, Possession of Stolen Property
Protesters had most recently gathered last week, before the smoke from Oregon’s wildfires settled over Portland.
Prior to that, there were more than 100 consecutive nights of demonstrations since the police killing of George Floyd. Police knelt on Floyd’s neck for nearly 8 minutes while he communicated that he could not breathe.
The protests in Portland have been not only part of the Black Lives Matter movement but also called for the total abolition of prisons and the Portland Police Bureau. Violent clashes between protesters and police have erupted on many nights late into the evening.