Police Officer Shoves Portland Protester to Ground as Crowds Ordered to Disperse

3 年前

A police officer was filmed pushing a protester to the ground as Portland Police moved to disperse Black Lives Matter protesters on the 79th night of protests in the city.

The source of the footage, Brian Conley, told Storyful more than protesters were marching from Peninsula Park to the Portland Police Association and were blocked on police on Ainsworth Street. “The protesters moved away, attempting to circle back by heading down side streets and eventually taking Killingsworth east. At this point there was another standoff, this time Portland Police attempted to disperse the crowd.”

Conley said a “cat-and-mouse game” played out between police and protesters over several hours, “resulting in a few arrests but several serious injuries to protesters.” Conley also accused police of “numerous assaults on members of the press.”

In a statement issued the following morning, Portland Police said its response was justified, as protesters had blocked traffic, ignored orders to exit the street, and later hurled missiles in their direction. Officers also blocked their route to the offices of the Portland Police Association (PPA) on North Lombard Street, to avoid a repeat of previous incidents, the department said. “During multiple previous demonstrations, individuals broke into the PPA office and lit arson fires, in addition to committing burglary, theft, and vandalism,” the statement said.

Police claim protesters attacked them with “commercial grade fireworks, golf balls, large river rock, palm sized chunks of concrete, glass bottles, and ball bearings from sling shots,” prompting police to declare the assembly unlawful. One police officer was “punched in the head multiple times, causing minor injury,” police allege. “Another officer was struck by an object, possibly a stick or bat, and suffered a minor injury. Green lasers were shined in officers’ eyes. Several people with ‘press’ affixed to them shined flashlights in officers eyes,” the police department claimed.

Four people were arrested, police said. Credit: Brian Conley via Storyful