Group Activity outside Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse, July 28, 2020

Portland Police Badge

July 29, 2020 03:26

On July 28, 2020 a crowd of several hundred people gathered along SW 3rd Avenue mostly concentrated outside the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse and the Justice Center. People blocked vehicular traffic in the area for several hours. During this time, people in the crowd made speeches, yelled, chanted, and banged on the fence surrounding the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse.

As the night progressed, the group that remained in the street continued to gather primarily outside the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse. They wore gas masks and helmets, and carried signs, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, umbrellas, leaf blowers, and fireworks. At 10:45 p.m., people started a fire inside the fence and began shooting roman candles and other commercial grade fireworks towards the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse. People also threw rocks, bottles, and other objects towards the Courthouse as well as climbed over the fence which protects the Courthouse. Around this same time, a large fire was set where the Elk statue used to stand. This activity went on for several hours.

The crowd began being dispersed at about 1:38 a.m. By about 2:30 a.m. the remaining people wandered around the blocks adjacent to Lownsdale Square Park, and slowly left the area.

Portland Police were not present during any of the activity described. Portland Police did not engage with any crowds and did not deploy any CS gas. No arrests were made by Portland Police.

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