PORTLAND, Ore. — A crowd marched through the streets of downtown Portland Saturday night and early Sunday morning, marking the third consecutive night of protests that ended in a relatively peaceful manner as federal agents pulled back and made their presence less visible.
Earlier in the evening, the Portland Police Bureau announced an unlawful assembly in the 4700 block of East Burnside Street, alleging that some protesters had thrown glass bottles at officers and directed lasers at them.
Video shared by a journalist showed officers dispersing the crowd and pushing them back as they chanted "why are you in riot gear, I don't see no riot here?"
One journalist at the scene did say he saw someone being treated for pepper spray. In a news release distributed early Sunday morning, Portland Police denied the use of CS gas.
Another reporter tweeted video of officers rushing the crowd.
Police said two people were arrested following this incident. They were identified as:
- Max Van Briesen, 31, of Portland, who faces charges for assaulting a public safety officer, interfering with a police officer and disorderly conduct in the second degree.
- Freedom Moreno, 34, of Portland, who faces charges for interfering with a police officer, disorderly conduct in the second degree, resisting arrest and harassment.
Police alleged in the release that people with "press" written on their outer garments "repeatedly threw objects at officers."
The release says one officer was hit in the head with a "glass bottle or can full of paint." That officer was not injured, according to police.
In addition, the news release says that near Burnside and Southeast 44th Avenue, someone moved a car in front of police, "interfering with their attempts to safely move people out of the road."
"To remove the hazard the car presented, Portland Police deflated its tires and passed it by," the release says. "Upon reaching Southeast 41st Avenue and Southeast Pine Street, Portland Police disengaged and returned to the Penumbra Kelly Building."
This happened as another crowd gathered around the Multnomah County Justice Center downtown, something that has happened for 65 consecutive nights following the death of George Floyd while in custody of Minneapolis Police.
KING5's Ted Land witnessed some demonstrators yelling at law enforcement before they entered the Justice Center. After this incident, no additional members of law enforcement were visible on the streets.
As the night continued, the crowd watched a multimedia display showing the faces of people -- like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor -- who died after interactions with police.
On Friday, protesters said now that federal agents have pulled back, their hope is for their message to return to eradicating systemic racism.
Just after midnight, the crowd began marching through the streets, pausing to hear stories over the megaphone of racism and police violence. A live feed from NBC showed the group chanting "no justice, no peace" and "out of your homes and into the streets."
By around 2:30 a.m., the crowd had largely dispersed, with some subdued stragglers remaining near the federal courthouse.
Photos did show police putting out a small fire near the courthouse. At this point, it's unclear who was responsible for it.
Another march took place earlier in the afternoon.
On Saturday at 2 p.m. hundreds of people gathered at King Elementary School for a march put on by #WeGoneBeAlright. They marched to Peninsula Park where they demonstrated peacefully.
The graphic circulating social media to promote the march encouraged protesters to practice social distancing and asks that people wear their masks. The march is to bring awareness to the need for justice system reform and equity in education.