Hundreds of protesters took to the streets surrounding a Portland, Ore., police precinct Thursday night, blocking traffic and chanting about burning it down.
Local FOX affiliate KPTV reported the mob made its way to the front of Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct in central Portland early on Thursday night, where they crowded the street chanting and playing music.
Authorities told the outlet someone lit a small fire in the street, while other rioters actually entered the police property.
Police originally did say they had no plans to engage with the mob, but that changed less than an hour later, shortly before 10 p.m. local time, when a department tweet announced that they had heard people from the crowd discussing their plans to “enter the property and burn down the precinct.”
We have also heard your requests for additional reinforcements. If you are a peaceful protestor, we are asking you to leave.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) July 17, 2020
Officers are disengaging. Do not follow them.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) July 17, 2020
Approximately two hours later, police said the protest had been classified as an unlawful assembly and anyone who refused to leave would be subject “to arrest or use of force.”
Several dozen people also gathered near the federal courthouse and started a fire, journalist Andy Ngo outlets reported and the crowd grew as the night progressed, according to The Oregonian.
Over the course of the night, federal officers deployed by the DHS fired less-lethal rounds and deployed tear gas to break up the crowd and push people away from federal buildings. Videos show many protesters leaving the area near the federal courthouse late Thursday as smoke filled the air.
Portland has seen 50 days of protests which prompted a visit from the Department of Homeland Security’s Acting Secretary, Chad Wolf, earlier in the day on Thursday.
These valiant men and women have defended our institutions of justice against violent anarchists for 48 straight days. We will prevail. pic.twitter.com/Qo9XoCyH2N
— Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 17, 2020
Our men and women in uniform are patriots. We will never surrender to violent extremists on my watch. pic.twitter.com/kG8w8kyw9E
— Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 17, 2020
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What NEEDS to happen is some skulls need to be forcibly opened.