PORTLAND, Ore. — People across Portland Sunday night protested police brutality, racial injustice and the death of George Floyd, the black man who died in Minneapolis police custody after a white officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes.
Sunday was at least the 10th straight night of demonstrations in Portland. And similar to previous nights, thousands non-violently called for change to end the systemic racism that continues to plague the United States.
But police declared a demonstration outside the Multnomah County Justice Center in downtown an unlawful assembly. The Justice Center has been the site of several clashes between police and demonstrators over the past week. The building, which houses hundred of inmates, is fenced off after rioters broke in and set small fires on the first night of demonstrations on May 29.
The unlawful assembly declaration was made around 11:45 p.m. after, police say, demonstrators threw and launched objects like full beverage containers, glass bottles, hard boiled eggs and rocks. Police and fire officials said a medic was injured with a rock.
The crowd, which included hundreds of protesters, was told to leave the downtown area. Police used flash bangs to disperse demonstrators.
Police said someone threw a Molotov cocktail at an officer while police were clearing the crowd. No one was hurt.
At least 20 people were arrested, police said. Four cars were towed.
Earlier in the evening, there was a peaceful march across Portland's iconic St. Johns Bridge.
In Northeast Portland, thousands gathered at Irving Park. The large crowd of thousands initially met at Revolution Hall in Southeast Portland around 6 p.m., then marched to the park. The area outside Revolution Hall has been a common meeting spot for protesters.
KGW's Keely Chalmers said speakers at the rally called for specific policy changes, including reducing the Portland Police Bureau budget, and defunding transit police and the Gun Violence Reduction Team. The protesters said they plan to have demonstrations for the foreseeable future until changes are made.
Since the protests began, there has been citywide debate about potential changes related to the Portland Police Bureau. Portland school districts chose to stop having school resource officers from the bureau. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has directed police to stop using sonic warning tones on protesters.
There has also been a call to ban the use of tear gas on protesters. The practice has come under fire as demonstrators outside the Justice Center clash with police on a nightly basis. City commissioners Chloe Eudaly and Jo Ann Hardesty said they support a ban.
Wheeler has stopped short of a ban, but said he instructed police to only use tear gas if lives are in danger and there are no other choices to disperse a crowd. Protesters and the group Don't Shoot Portland have sued the city over police's use of tear gas during the first week of demonstrations.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon on Sunday said Portland police's response to the protests has been excessive and dangerous.
"We renew our call to end the use of chemical and impact weapons and flash bang devices against people who gather in Portland. These weapons are dangerous and continue to escalate largely peaceful situations," the ACLU said.
The Portland Police Bureau has defended the response of officers, saying the actions of protesters have reached the point on several occasions where life safety is at risk. People have been throwing items, some of which police say could cause serious injury, over the fence and attempted to use bolt cutters to cut into the fence. The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said a deputy was injured when someone threw a commercial-grade firework on the steps of the Justice Center Saturday night.