Portland police declare unlawful assembly amid protests

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland police declared an unlawful assembly Friday night and ordered protesters to leave, saying people were throwing things at officers.

Anyone ignoring the order could face arrest or crowd control methods such as tear gas, police said. Police have been targeted with “paint bombs and other projectiles,” according to authorities.

Demonstrations, often violent, have happened nightly in Oregon’s biggest city for more than two months following the killing of George Floyd. Floyd, a black man, died in Minneapolis after a white officer pressed a knee to his neck.

Wednesday night and early Thursday morning authorities say protesters set a fire and exploded commercial grade fireworks outside the downtown federal courthouse. Several officers were injured and two people were arrested.



Portland police and protesters clash during a demonstration, early Thursday Aug. 13, 2020, in downtown, Portland. Officers used tear gas to break up the crowd of several hundred people who gathered near the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse, the neighboring Multnomah County Justice Center and a nearby police precinct station. (Sean Meagher/The Oregonian via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/7592ed4d2536924246141854b99dacaf

[regnaD kciN]

1. Didn't see last night's events...

...but, over the past couple of weeks, Portland cops have been very quick to declare "unlawful assemblies" even when there was no violence whatsoever going on. It seems like it's their all-purpose tactic when they get tired of protesters chanting from across the block and want to clear them out "just because."

[democrattotheend]

2. Last night's events were pretty disturbing

A trucker was brutally beaten by protesters. Some say he was trying to run them over, but the evidence doesn't seem great on that. Either way, it plays right into Trump's hands. This madness needs to stop.

[Devil Child]

3. The trucker's only "crime" was intervening on behalf of a trans woman who was being assaulted

Now the driver is most likely brain dead. Portland put in quite a disgusting display last night.

[ripcord]

4. People have laughed at truck drivers who remembered Reginald Denny

Expect some drivers not to stop for protests blocking streets now.

[captain queeg]

5. I think it's time the protesters took a break. Nt

[democrattotheend]

6. Amen to that

A month ago, they were getting bipartisan support and people heard their message. Now it's just devolving into violence and playing right into Trump's hands. I don't see what good it can possibly accomplish to have incidents like this, or incidents like the one in Seattle the other night where some BLM protesters shouted at white residents to "give up their homes" because the neighborhood used to be mostly black and blacks were driven out due to gentrification. To be clear, I am sympathetic to their points about gentrification, but going into a neighborhood that's already been gentrified late at night and screaming at residents to "give up their homes" is not going to accomplish anything but alienating people who might otherwise be supportive.

[SpazzTheCat]

7. I agree 100%

It is time for this to end, it is just hurting the cause it claims to want to help.

The video I saw where the security guy kicks the guy sitting on the ground in the head. That was just sickening. That does NOTHING to help and does a lot to hurt. I really think it is time for our party to take a stronger stance against this lawlessness lest we get tied to it.