Portland Police made several arrests during a demonstration last night outside of the North Police Precinct.
The protest started in Alberta Park. Around 11 p.m., the group marched to the North Precinct of the Portland Police Bureau.
Police report, several support vehicles rode with them as they marched. As the group arrived at North Precinct, Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was blocked in both directions. Water bottles were thrown by group members towards North Precinct and a motorized scooter was seen doing burnouts on the blocked street.
In the past, protestors have blocked Northeast Emerson Street at Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. This area is a vital entrance and exit to North Precinct for both sworn and non-sworn employees during their shift. Because North Precinct is a functioning Community Policing Facility where employees are constantly coming and going during their shift in an effort to serve the community, it is imperative Northeast Emerson Street stays clear so employees can get to calls for service. For this reason, at 11:15 p.m., the group was told over loud speaker that Northeast Emerson Street was closed between Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Northeast 6th Avenue. The group was also told not to enter the area or engage in criminal behavior. Failure to adhere to this order may subject them to arrest, citation, or crowd control agents, including, but not limited to, tear gas and/or impact weapons. Despite the announcements the crowd continued to gather on Northeast Emerson Street just east of Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
After several hours, the group continued to block Northeast Emerson Street at Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Some people in the group threw projectiles such as water bottles and rocks towards officers located on the roof of North Precinct. At 1:30 a.m., the group tore down tape and barricades set up by officers as they advanced further east on Northeast Emerson Street from Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Once again the group was told the street was closed over loudspeaker. The group continued their criminal behavior and officers made targeted arrests.
The group was mostly dispersed by 2 a.m.
Portland Police did not use any crowd control munitions or CS gas.