Portland protest turns violent
Fox News Christina Coleman reports on the escalating tensions between pro-Trump supporters and demonstrators in Portland, Oregon.
Oregon State Police will return to Portland to assist local officers after a man was fatally shot amid clashes between supporters of President Trump and Black Lives Matter protesters.
Gov. Kate Brown announced the decision in a statement Sunday which is part of a six-point plan that she said would "protect free speech and bring violence and arson to an end in Portland."
She said the nearly 100 days of protests have stretched the Portland Police Bureau’s resources thin, and that additional local and state personnel, as well as federal resources, will give the Police Bureau "the investigative capacity to arrest and charge those individuals who have engaged in violent or destructive acts and endangered public safety."
"As done previously, Oregon State Police (OSP) will detail personnel and resources to Portland to free up the Portland Police Bureau’s investigative capabilities to arrest and charge those engaging in violent acts," the statement said. "OSP troopers will continue their standard practice of wearing body cameras to allow for the documentation of their activities."
A man is treated after being shot Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, in Portland, Ore. It wasn’t clear if the fatal shooting late Saturday was linked to fights that broke out as a caravan of about 600 vehicles was confronted by counterdemonstrators in the city’s downtown. (AP Photo/Paula Bronstein)
Under the plan, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office will prosecute serious criminal offenses, including arson and physical violence. Meanwhile, the sheriff's office will work with other agencies to hold people booked for violent behavior and ensure that there is adequate jail space to hold such individuals, according to the statement.
“We all must come together—elected officials, community leaders, all of us—to stop the cycle of violence,” said Brown. “But this is only the first step. Real change will come from the hard work to achieve racial justice. And it starts with all of us listening to each other, and working together."
The U.S. Attorney and the FBI will also be committing additional resources for the investigation of criminal activity, the statement said.
Protesters were back on the streets for a demonstration Sunday night outside a public safety building. Police declared an unlawful assembly and arrested 29 people. Two of those arrested had handguns and others had knives and at least one had an expandable baton, police said.
Many in the group wore helmets, gas masks, goggles, and external armor. Police said some carried shields and reflective squares used to reflect police lights back toward officers. Some threw rocks, eggs, and other items at officers and police vehicles.
PATRIOT PRAYER LEADERS SAYS PORTLAND SHOOTING VICTIM SUPPORTED GROUP
Some of the protesters were heard earlier chanting “No Cops - No Prisons, Total Abolition," according to a tweet from a reporter with Portland's KOIN.
It follows a chaotic 24 hours in Portland that began on Saturday evening when a caravan of about 600 vehicles packed with Trump supporters drove through the liberal city and was met with counterprotesters, leading to skirmishes between the groups.
About 15 minutes after the caravan left the city, a supporter of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer was fatally shot.
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Patriot Prayer founder Joey Gibson identified the victim as Aaron “Jay” Danielson, who allegedly also went by the name Jay Bishop, according to the group's Facebook page. Gibson called the victim a “good friend,” but provided no additional details.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
