2016 Portland, Oregon riots

{{Infobox civil conflict

| title = 2016 Portland, Oregon protests

| partof = the protests against Donald Trump

| image = Protesters in Portland, Oregon Anti Trump Protest Low.webm

| caption = Protests in Portland, November 10–12, 2016

| date = November 10–12, 2016

| place = Portland, Oregon, U.S.

| coordinates =

| causes = Reaction to the election of Donald Trump as president

| methods = Protests, vandalism{{cite news|last1=Ryan|first1=Tim|title=Portland's anti-Trump protest turns violent, as rioters rampage in Pearl|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2016/11/anti-trump_protests_held_for_f.html|access-date=19 April 2017|work=The Oregonian|date=10 November 2016}}

| side1 = Portland Police Bureau

| side2 = Local demonstrators

| howmany1 =

| howmany2 = 4,000{{cite news|last1=Sottile|first1=Leah|title=Anti-Trump protesters take to the streets in many cities for a third nigh|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/11/11/violence-erupts-in-portland-riot-as-anti-trump-protests-continue-in-cities-across-the-nation/|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=November 11, 2016|access-date=November 12, 2016|quote=[Portland Police public information officer Pete] Simpson said anarchists ... infiltrated the peaceful demonstration.... Peaceful protesters tried to stop the more violent individuals, but 'they're not having any luck,' he said.}}

| injuries = 4

| arrests = 113

| notes =

}}

On November 10, 2016, three days of protests in Portland, Oregon, turned into a riot, when a group of anarchists{{cite news|author1=Camila Domonoske|title=Anti-Trump Protest in Portland, Ore., Turns Destructive, Declared a Riot|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/11/501685976/anti-trump-protest-in-portland-ore-turns-destructive-declared-a-riot|access-date=November 12, 2016|publisher=National Public Radio|date=November 11, 2016|quote=Later in the evening another section of protesters began to damage cars at a Toyota dealership and ignite fireworks, before moving through the Pearl District and damaging several businesses.}} broke off from a larger group of protesters who were opposed to the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States.

Riots

A number of businesses were damaged, and 26–29 people were arrested during the first day of the incident. Police used rubber bullets, pepper spray and flash bang devices to disperse the protesters who became violent.{{cite news|first=Tony|last=Hernandez|title=Portland wakes up to damage from anti-Trump riot|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2016/11/pearl_district_ne_portland_wak.html|work=The Oregonian|date=November 11, 2016|access-date=November 11, 2016}} During the riot, glass bottles and trash cans were thrown at police. Rioters used rocks and baseball bats to cause much of the damage. A dumpster was also lit on fire.{{cite news|title=Portland police declare anti-Trump protest a riot|url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-portland-protest-20161110-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|via=Associated Press|date=November 11, 2016|access-date=November 11, 2016}} Members of the protest who opposed the violence intervened when a man tried to destroy a piece of electrical equipment with a bat. Another altercation began when a woman began throwing laundry detergent at people in the crowd.{{cite news|title=Anti-Trump protest organizer decries vandalism in Portland riot|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/portland-police-declare-anti-trump-protest-a-riot/|work=The Seattle Times|date=November 10, 2016|access-date=November 11, 2016}}

The riot spread from the Downtown area, into the Pearl District, where additional businesses were vandalized.{{cite news|title=Portland protests disperse after confrontation with cops, 26 arrested|url=http://katu.com/news/local/police-in-riot-gear-trying-to-clear-crowds-from-downtown-portland|publisher=KATU|date=November 11, 2016|access-date=November 11, 2016}} At 10:00 p.m., police told protesters who had not returned to Pioneer Courthouse Square that they would face arrest. Authorities also closed local stretches of Interstate 5 (I-5) and I-84 as a precaution, and warned motorists to watch for people in roadways.

On November 11, the next day, protests continued. Police used flash bangs to disperse crowds until nearly midnight, including one group in front of City Hall. Police made several additional arrests throughout the day. Early the next morning, several people in a vehicle on the Morrison Bridge got into an argument with a protester. A man exited the vehicle, and shot the protester before escaping; the injured man's wounds were not considered life-threatening.{{cite news|title=Man shot on Morrison Bridge during Portland anti-Trump protest|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2016/11/anti-trump_protesters_rally_in.html|work=The Oregonian|date=November 11, 2016|access-date=November 12, 2016}} Police later arrested four men in relation to the shooting, and charged two of them with attempted murder. Police seized a TEC-9 semi-automatic pistol that was found in the suspects' vehicle.{{cite news|first=Samantha|last=Matsumoto|title=Portland police identify two men arrested in connection to shooting at anti-Trump protest|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2016/11/portland_police_identify_two_m.html#incart_big-photo|work=The Oregonian|date=November 12, 2016|access-date=November 13, 2016}}

The protests remained ongoing into the night of November 12. Police arrested nineteen additional protesters who either refused to leave the area, or were suspected of other crimes. A reporter for local television station KOIN was assaulted.{{cite news|title=Saturday night Portland anti-Trump protest: 19 arrested in downtown demonstrations|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2016/11/mayor_police_hold_press_confer.html#incart_big-photo|work=The Oregonian|date=November 12, 2016|access-date=November 13, 2016}} In reaction to the ongoing disturbances, police closed Pioneer Courthouse Square and a two-block perimeter around the park, and warned that anyone who remained would face arrest. Two other people were also assaulted, and a total of 62 people have been arrested as a result of the rioting and other disturbances.{{cite news|title=Dozens more arrested on Day 5 of Portland protests|work=KOIN-TV|url=http://koin.com/2016/11/12/portland-protest-november-12/|date=November 12, 2016|access-date=November 13, 2016|archive-date=December 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222071020/http://koin.com/2016/11/12/portland-protest-november-12/|url-status=dead}} On November 13, police updated the figure of total arrests to 113, with 71 arrested on November 12 alone.{{cite news|title=71 arrested during Saturday night's Portland protests|work=KOIN-TV|url=http://koin.com/2016/11/13/71-arrested-during-saturday-nights-portland-protests/|date=November 13, 2016|access-date=November 13, 2016|archive-date=December 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222073042/http://koin.com/2016/11/13/71-arrested-during-saturday-nights-portland-protests/|url-status=dead}} Protesters reportedly threw lit road flares at police officers.{{cite news|title=Anti-Trump protesters continue to sweep the nation|work=New York Post|url=https://nypost.com/2016/11/13/anti-trump-protesters-continue-to-sweep-the-nation/|date=November 13, 2016|access-date=November 13, 2016}}

Damage and aftermath

File:Demonstrators at Portland City Hall.jpg on November 11, 2016]]

Numerous businesses were damaged during the rioting. Windows of a Chase Bank, a Starbucks, and many other privately owned shops were smashed. Twelve vehicles at a Toyota dealership, across the Willamette River, had windows smashed out, and had roofs caved in. Anti-Trump graffiti was spray painted on buildings downtown. By the fourth day of the riots, Portland police chief Mike Marshman estimated that damages exceeded $1 million.{{cite news |date=November 11, 2016 |title=Portland businesses impacted by riot damage |url=http://koin.com/2016/11/11/riot-cleanup-begins-more-planned/ |publisher=KOIN-TV |access-date=November 14, 2016 |archive-date=January 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101230722/http://koin.com/2016/11/11/riot-cleanup-begins-more-planned/ |url-status=dead }} In addition, the cost to the City of Portland exceeded $500,000 in police overtime alone. This cost does not include use of, or damage to, police ammunition, equipment or other property.{{cite news |first=Maxine|last=Bernstein|title=Police response to Portland anti-Trump protests shifts based on 'tenor and tone' each night |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2016/11/police_strategies_shift_based.html |publisher=The Oregonian |date=November 14, 2016|access-date=November 14, 2016}} Police used postings on social media to track down vandals with numerous arrests made in the days following the riots.{{cite news|title=20-Year-Old Suspect Arrested for Riot and Vandalism (Photo)|url=https://www.flashalert.net/news.html?id=3056|publisher=Portland Police Bureau|date=November 18, 2016|access-date=November 18, 2016}}

File:Damage after anti-Trump protests - Portland, Oregon 02.jpg

The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office announced it would not be prosecuting some of the people arrested during the riots, although all 113 arrested were given a criminal citation for failing to obey a police officer, along with a class B traffic violation that carries a presumptive fine of $260. Detectives and prosecutors will continue to investigate and have three years to file felony charges.{{cite news |first=Brent|last=Weisberg|title=Charges dismissed against Portland protesters |url=http://koin.com/2016/11/14/charges-dismissed-against-portland-protesters/ |publisher=KOIN 6 News Staff |date=November 14, 2016|access-date=November 18, 2016}}

Reaction

Portland Mayor Charlie Hales said that while he supports the right of citizens to peacefully protest, he condemned the violence and warned protesters to stay out of traffic.

KGW compiled a list of the 112 people arrested during the riots and compared them to state voter logs. They found that at least 79 of the arrested rioters either didn't turn in a ballot or weren't registered to vote in the state. {{cite news |last=Iboshi |first=Kyle |date=November 15, 2016 |title=More than half of the 112 anti-Trump protesters arrested in Portland this past week didn't vote in Oregon. |work=KGW |access-date=March 5, 2021 |url=https://www.kgw.com/news/local/more-than-half-of-arrested-anti-trump-protesters-didnt-vote/351964445 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170220183717/http://www.kgw.com/news/local/more-than-half-of-arrested-anti-trump-protesters-didnt-vote/351964445 }}