On April 12, 2021, a little after 8:30 p.m., crowds gathered near the Penumbra Kelly Building in Portland, Oregon and began throwing objects at police.

The crowd assembled elsewhere and marched to the building. Portland Police officers acted in self-defense and in defense of property first by creating a visible barrier indicating the property was closed. A line of yellow tape, commonly used to close areas for security purposes, was strung across the southern driveway entrances to the property.

The crowd ignored and removed the tape. People threw glass bottles, frozen water bottles, rocks, ball bearings and other objects, and shot fireworks in the direction of police and the building.

Police issued verbal warnings, directing people to stay off the closed Penumbra Kelly Building property, and to remain on sidewalks. Force warnings were given, warning participants in the violent activity that they may be subject to dispersal, including munitions and may be subject to arrest.

The group grew to approximately 200 people, most acting aggressively toward police. The rioters blocked East Burnside to all traffic. Violent leftists from the crowd came onto the closed city property and attempted to set a dumpster on fire using an unknown accelerant.

Many in the crowd persisted throwing projectiles as described. Some continued lighting a fire on the east side of the building, adding wood and other flammable material to it. The violent leftists broke out windows on the front side of the building and there were repeated attempts to breach the front doors of the building. Agitators in the crowd continued to throw concrete, bricks and other objects at officers.

At about 10:20 p.m., officers began moving the crowd away from the Penumbra Kelly building and west on East Burnside.

Neighbors and bystanders called to report thefts from area yards. People in the crowd were stealing rocks and landscaping bricks and other property to use as weapons against police.

All the while, people continued throwing the rocks, bricks, concrete and other dangerous projectiles. Due to the continued coordinated violent, tumultuous conduct by so many in the crowd, which created the risk of public alarm, incident commanders declared an unlawful assembly. The conduct of the crowd did not improve, and incident command declared a riot.

Police purposely disengaged to allow people to begin acting lawfully and peacefully.

The Penumbra Kelly building is owned by the City of Portland and is utilized by offices from city bureaus, including the Office of Community and Civic Life and the Portland Police, as well as Multnomah County Sheriff?s Office.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Dozens of calls for police service waited, some for hours, as officers from across the city responded to restore order in the North Tabor neighborhood, where the building sits.

Officers reported significant damage to the exterior of the building, including many broken windows, graffiti and broken light fixtures. Leftist rioters damaged police vehicles with thrown objects and metal devices designed to puncture tires. Officers reported suspects in the crowd fired ball bearings from wrist rockets at them. Many leftist rioters still continued to throw all manner of projectiles, including rocks, pieces of concrete, bricks, bottles and fireworks. Some attempted to burglarize the building by breaching the front doors.

There was no indication that anyone in the crowd attempted to stop the violence that led to the riot. Instead, most of those present actively participated or encouraged the criminal activity.

Police did not make any arrests during this incident, but investigations following the riot last night may lead to arrests. The crime of Riot is a felony in Oregon.

Prior to the riot, police issued numerous warnings, including force warnings, and direction for the crowd to act lawfully. During the riot police issued directions to disperse and continued force warnings. Portland Police utilized impact munitions, oleoresin capsicum (OC), and other control against resistance. No CS gas was used.

While this was happening, other rioters cut through city fences and damaged Portland Police vehicles.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2021-04-13 14:33:23

Last Update: 2021-04-13 15:24:51