PORTLAND, Ore. — Leaders and elected officials in Portland, Oregon, are demanding an end to violence, criminal destruction and intimidation by “anarchists” that continues to occur in the city.
For nearly nine months protesters have called for police reform and an end to systemic racism in Portland, which has become a key city in the country’s racial reckoning.
While officials on Monday said many events and protesters are peaceful, there continues to be small groups of people smashing windows of businesses, threatening community members and assaulting police.
“The community is sick and tired of people engaging in criminal destruction and violence and doing it under the guise of some noble cause,” the Associated Press reported Mayor Ted Wheeler as saying.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reported the Department of Justice has paid more than $1.5 million to repair damage to the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse. Fencing around the buidling was removed last week only to be replaced Sunday due to ongoing protests and vandalism in and around the building, the Associated Press reported.
Vandals have also broken windows, tagged buildings and blocked streets over the past week. Some threw rocks at officers while others were armed with crowbars, hammers, bear spray, high impact slingshots and knives.
“I want to be clear that this was not a protest group,” said Chris Davis, Portland’s assistant police chief. “This was a group of people who have come to believe that they are entitled to damage other people’s property, threaten community members and assault police officers.”
Police said it’s the same group over the last nine months.
