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On 100th Day of Protesting, Portland Police Declare Riot After Fire Bombs Thrown at Officers

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Police in Portland, Oregon declared Saturday night’s protest a riot after people threw multiple Molotov cocktails, mortars, rocks, and more at officers.

In a series of tweets, the police department stated that people in the crowd were "engaging in tumultuous and violent conduct" and "creating a grave risk of causing public alarm."

One video shared on social media shows firebombs being thrown in the direction of officers, creating a massive fireball and smoke.

According to KATU-TV, a crowd gathered at Ventura Park around 7 p.m. with plans to march down to the Portland Police east precinct.

Police used tear gas to try to block more than 400 people from reaching the precinct.

In another video, a demonstrator is seen struggling after his feet catch on fire. 

Warning: This video contains graphic language and images.

Saturday marked Portland’s 100th night of protests since the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minnesota. Some protesters say there is still more to fight for and they will continue coming to the streets until there is a change.

Tupac Leahy, a Black man from Portland, told the Associated Press that he's been to at least 70 demonstrations.

Leahy explained that he wants the local police budget reduced and for funds to be redirected toward community needs. He believes the protests will persist for quite a while.

"I think it's going to keep going on until the election," he said. "I don't see it slowing down."

Chelsea Jordan of Portland said, "I feel the people here have a lot of heart and a lot of commitment."

Jordan was spray painting yellow cutouts to identify the names of Black people who were killed by police.

"I want to keep at it until the full abandonment of the police, so I think it's going to be a long fight," she said.

In a statement released Sunday morning by Portland Police, more than 50 people were arrested during the riot.

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About The Author

Andrea Morris
Andrea
Morris

Andrea Morris is a Features Producer for The 700 Club. She came to CBN in 2019 where she worked as a web producer in the news department for three years. Her passion was always to tell human interest stories that would touch the hearts of readers while connecting them with God. She transitioned into her new role with The 700 Club in August 2022.