Fox News Flash top headlines for July 1
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Protesters in Portland, Ore., reportedly started a bonfire underneath the historic Elk statue near the federal courthouse Wednesday night and ripped off wood boards protecting the building's windows to use for firewood and barricades.
Protesters threw water bottles and other projectiles as police fired pepper balls and at least one flash-bang at protesters in front of the courthouse, according to freelance reporter Sergio Olmos.
Demonstrators also reportedly set off fireworks in the direction of the Multnomah County Justice Center.
Protesters lined up and kneeled in front of the federal courthouse holding barricades in front of themselves while police, stationed inside the building, fired pepper balls if they got too close, Olmos reported.
PORTLAND POLICE DECLARE 'RIOT,' USE CS GAS TO BREAK UP CROWD; ARRESTS REPORTED
The protest comes one day after Portland police declared a “riot” and arrested dozens of protesters while trying to clear the crowd. Police also used CS gas, a type of tear gas on protesters, after giving warnings of arrest and use of force to those who didn’t disperse.
Protesters have mainly demonstrated outside of the Multnomah County Justice Center for more than a month following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody at the hands of a white police officer.
Further south in Eugene, Ore., where the University of Oregon is located, police called for a crowd to disperse after protesters started tearing down a fence behind the Lane County Jail and ripped down the American flag hanging outside of the jail and burned it, KEZI-TV reported. It was the second flag burning this week.
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Mostly peaceful protests and some riots have occurred in multiple cities across the country as crowds protest what they say has been a pattern of police brutality against African-Americans and other minorities.
Fox News' Dom Calicchio contributed to this report.
