Police in Portland declared a riot Friday after anti-police protesters started smashing windows, destroying property, and vandalizing local businesses.
Police said the group contained roughly 75 people.
According to Breitbart, much of the rioters were angry at Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler extending the state of emergency following the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was found guilty earlier this week for the murder of George Floyd.
Police said some of the rioters were “armed with weapons and tools used to cause damage, wearing helmets, body armor, and gas masks and committed crimes such as riot, criminal mischief, arson, and assault,” according to the Washington Examiner.
One homeowner had a rock thrown through his window for filming the event.
The Portland police in a statement said the group began marching in the streets about 9:15 p.m.
“Within 15 minutes, reports of broken windows and graffiti came in. Some members of the group briefly forced their way into a tavern/restaurant in the 2200 block of Northwest Hoyt Street, then other participants followed them in and pulled them out.”
According to the statement, “The group was advised via loudspeaker and Twitter (@portlandpolice) that the behavior of the crowd constituted a riot and they were advised to leave to the north. Few if any of them complied. The group eventually wandered back into Couch Park and dispersed.”
Police arrested two people during the event, Jacob A. Camello, 29, and Crystal M. Miranda, 29. They currently face charges of mischief in the first degree.
FBI Director Christopher Wray identified the group known as ANTIFA as “small regional nodes of people who commit violent attacks citing that as their motivation…Antifa is a real thing,” he said, “it’s not a fiction, and it’s a concern.”
Source: Newmax
