PORTLAND, Ore. — The fence that has surrounded the Multnomah County Justice Center in downtown Portland was taken down on Monday.
The fence, which extended out across Southwest 3rd Avenue, was the site of nightly clashes between protesters and police during the weeks of demonstrations since the death of George Floyd. Often in the late hours of the night, police would tell protesters to stop shaking the fence and throwing items over it, only to end up using force to disperse the demonstrators. Those clashes led to a judge barring police from using tear gas on demonstrators except in limited circumstances when safety is at risk.
“The fence has been up for more than a week and we recognize that for some it has become a symbol of divide between the police and the community,” Portland police said.
The fence became so symbolic that a Twitter account personifying it gained thousands of followers.
The fence was initially put up following a riot on May 29 when protesters broke in and set small fires inside the Justice Center, which houses hundreds of inmates.
Portland police said, with the fence gone, they hope the nightly clashes will come to an end.
“We are removing the fence to show our willingness to have dialogue and peaceful communication toward starting to heal our community,” police said.
The impact of removing the fence on the nightly protests is yet to be seen. Portland police officers and deputies from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office will remain at the Justice Center. A separate fence, closer to the building, remains as renovations to damaged parts of the Justice Center continue.
