Bottom line:
The violent situation Portland has witnessed for the past eight weeks continues with violent anarchists rioting on the streets as federal law enforcement officers work diligently and honorably to enforce federal law, defend federal property, and protect the lives of their fellow officers.
In response to nightly attempts to raze and damage the Hatfield Federal Courthouse, DHS made the decision last week to put up a stronger fence around the building’s perimeter. While more secure fencing has kept much of the criminal violence away from the courthouse itself, it has now become a consistent target of the rioters, who constantly are trying to tear it down with ropes, saws, hammers, bolt cutters, and power tools.
As federal officers left the courthouse to respond to attacks on the fence, just like on previous nights they were met by rioters with hard projectiles, mortar style fireworks and lasers that can cause permanent blindness. Over the previous 24 hours, such assaults have resulted in at least 14 federal officers injured.
The past 24 hours:
Initially, Portland Police Bureau’s (PPB) North Portland Police Precinct was believed to be a main target of activity last night. PPB officers appeared in front of the precinct building in protective gear early in the evening as a large crowd assembled there.
At 9:36 p.m. local time a reported 4,000-5,000 individuals had gathered around the courthouse.
At 10:40 p.m. local time violent actors began to try and cut the fence protecting the courthouse perimeter, as they have attempted every night since it was erected. Federal officers were forced to use pepper balls to repel the attempts and prevent further damage to federal property. Rioters initially stopped their attack on the fence but quickly returned with shields to continue.
At 10:55 p.m. local time officers were once again forced to go outside the courthouse in order to stop the attempts to cut the fence.
At 11:04 p.m. local time rioters began to launch the first mortar firework attacks of the evening against the courthouse and federal officers.
At 11:08 p.m. local time an unknown chemical was sprayed on an FPS officer and other officers were assaulted with hard projectiles from the crowd.
At 11:19 p.m. local time FPS declared an unlawful assembly.
At 11:21 p.m. local time federal officers came under heavy laser attack from rioters. Around this time, rioters also launch a roughly 10-minute-long continuous firework attack against the courthouse. The crowd size was reported to be approximately 5,000 to 6,000 individuals around this time.
At 11:28 p.m. local time an individual drove a car up to the fence perimeter and parked next to it. Rioters began to throw smoke bombs into the fence perimeter.
At 11:53 p.m. local time at least one power tool reportedly was being used to cut through the fence.
Around midnight local time crowds began to converge on the parks in the vicinity of the federal building, as PPB reported damage to multiple storefronts in the path of the crowds. Rioters started to throw explosive devices at the fence perimeter and, in addition to the use of saws and power tools, began to try and hammer bolts off the fence.
At 12:26 a.m. local time a federal officer was injured after being hit by hard projectiles the rioters had thrown.
At 12:32 a.m. local time violent actors attached ropes to the fence in yet another effort to tear it down. After that rope snapped, they brought out a bigger rope to continue the destructive effort.
At 12:49 a.m. local time federal officers issued several warnings to the crowd to disperse.
At 12:54 a.m. local time a rioter was able to peel back part of a fence panel that had been cut through.
At 1:09 a.m. local time rioters managed to tear down down a section of the fence.
At 1:11 a.m. local time PPB declared this situation to be a riot. Federal officers began to repel rioters who were inflicting on the officers heavy fire through mortar-style fireworks and to push them away from the courthouse.
Following the riot declaration, PPB also helped federal officers clear the area as both made multiple arrests.
At 2:05 a.m. local time two weed sprayers filled with an unidentified liquid were found in a nearby park; HAZMAT was called.
Around 3:10 a.m. local time federal officers began to return to the courthouse. There were still a couple hundred individuals gathered in the vicinity.
The night’s violence resulted in at least 14 new injuries to federal officers. One FPS officer was injured from a thrown hard projectile; injuries include a laceration on his arm and bruises to his arm. The officer received treatment from a medic and returned to defend the courthouse.
DHS officers conducted 6 arrests for assaulting federal officers and 2 arrests for failure to comply with lawful orders.