US Protests: Violent Clashes Erupt in Portland and Other Cities

Clashes between Black Lives Matter protesters and police this weekend (August 15-16) have renewed tensions in Portland, Minneapolis and other cities. Writes about it The Washington Post.

Photo: Shutterstock

A group with links to far-right organizations gathered on Saturday, August 15, in the city center to protest against the Black Lives Matter protests. The event ended with two shots.

One clash ended in a scuffle following the Proud Boys' march in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Police intervened as the Proud Boys retreated into the garage, about seven minutes after a major brawl broke out between members of the far-right group and their opponents. The officers arrested several protesters.

In Chicago, protests also intensified, with people using umbrellas and skateboards to attack police officers, resulting in 17 injuries. Twenty-four people were arrested.

Just before midnight Saturday, August 15, 50 protesters, most of whom were wearing black and wearing masks, attacked a 5th District police station in South Minneapolis.

The group members threw stones and fireworks at the building. The steps at the main entrance and the sidewalks were covered in red paint.

In Portland, extreme right-wing extremists have walked around several neighborhoods in the city center, exchanging barbs with anti-fascists.

According to eyewitnesses, when the rally ended, a car drove out, and one of the people in the car pulled out a pistol and fired two shots. No harm done.

On the subject: US protests gather momentum: mayors of major cities ask Trump to withdraw armed feds

"A blue Toyota Corolla flew out and then two shots were fired from the driver's seat," said Laura Gideed, a freelance journalist who witnessed the shooting.

Video of the incident posted on social media seems to confirm that there was firing from a window from the driver's side of a blue car driving out of the garage onto the street. It is unclear who was shooting.

Portland Police Department initially reported that officers were aware of the fight, the presence of a paintball pistol, the use of pepper spray at the rally, but there was no evidence of shooting. About three hours later, the bureau confirmed that shots had been fired and one person was injured.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler did not respond to requests for comment on the alleged shooting.

Some critics have noted a discrepancy between the way the police reacted to the actions of a group of people in the city center and the crowd on the left that gathered outside the police building. The officers did not intervene despite reports of violence and gunfire, but they clashed with protesters later when some of the crowd threw fireworks at night and damaged the police building with graffiti.

The Portland Police Department said its resources were depleted due to crisis negotiations with an armed man that lasted more than 17 hours.

On the subject: Unprecedented level of violence: Portland protests cost local businesses $ 23 million

A separate group of protesters known to fire paintball grenades called American Wolf showed up at Saturday's Black Lives Matter protest. Fewer than a dozen men, including group leader Peter Diaz, were met on the street by dozens of black-clad demonstrators before they could reach the larger crowd outside the police building. People shouted for Diaz and his people to leave, and they did it. Most of the men left in a limousine with American Wolf on the side.

On Saturday night, August 15, hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters gathered outside the police headquarters in southeast Portland.

The crowd remained peaceful for several hours, but eventually a small number of people in the crowd began to use force to infuriate the police. At least two fireworks were thrown into the building's driveway. Two people, dressed all in black, approached the building and hit the boarded up windows, made graffiti on the walls and damaged the security camera. Several people in the crowd threw stones, eggs, glass and plastic water bottles into the building.

After some time, the police reacted to the riots. They blew smoke and rushed towards the line of protesters, making a barrier with shields. The police then drove the protesters into a residential area for nearly an hour. They made 11 arrests, including on charges of hooliganism and riots.

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