By 9 p.m. there were an estimated 100 people in the park blocks across the street from the Justice Center and federal courthouse. All rights reserved (
Just before that, someone had started a very small fire in the middle of Third Avenue.Two people seized the new energy in the crowd and climbed over the courthouse fence and ran the length of the area behind it, before climbing out the other side.The actions led people in the crowd to argue over keeping peace. Since then, many others have added their own artwork to the wooden canvas. People are adding their own signs to this growing memorial on SW Main. Within 15 minutes, a handful of people stepped in to extinguish the fire.Friday’s demonstrations marked the second straight night of relative calm.Video footage shared on social media after Oregonian/OregonLive journalists left showed the crowd that remained gathered around a second bonfire in the middle of Third Avenue around 2 a.m. Several people delivered speeches and encouraged people to chant, “Black lives matter!”The group of protesters had dwindled to a few dozen by around 2:30 a.m., Portland Police said Saturday morning.There was no police interaction throughout the night, police said.Both Thursday and Friday nights were entirely different from weeks of recent demonstrations, during which federal officers often deployed tear gas and issued recurrent warnings in response to fireworks, lights and thrown items.Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton said the agency has committed to at least two weeks in Portland. While many have been peaceful, those demonstrations have also been marked by … No police officers were in sight.A car parade arrived in the heart of demonstrations around 9 p.m. Cars honked to the rhythm of the “Black Lives Matter!” Speeches started at the steps of the local Justice Center, next to the federal courthouse. “Human life matters more than rattling a fence.”Speeches also continued on the waterfront three blocks away.Eric Knox, Benson High School girls basketball coach, described his pride in seeing current and former players speaking out for Black Lives Matter. Artist Emma Berger was able to quickly fix the damage. A couple hundred people took to the streets and parks downtown, but largely dissipated by midnight SundayPORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Protesters congregated in downtown Portland for a 66th straight night of demonstrations against police, racism and other causes Sunday evening, on the heels of three days of relative calm following the withdrawal of federal agents.Discussions between Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Vice President Mike Pence resulted in Oregon State Police troopers Drums and dancing were part of protests near the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse Saturday night. The combined crowd exceeded 1,000 people.The crowd filled Southwest Third Avenue in front of the Justice Center and half of Chapman Square, the park behind it.Around 10 p.m., many people in Hester’s group moved to the front of the courthouse fence to form a symbolic barrier.
Protests Grow On 52nd Night As Portland Responds To Federal Officers A large gathering of protesters turned out once again on Saturday as federal officers — and the ... (@PDXzane) July 19, 2020. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced Tuesday his office would not prosecute certain crimes stemming from the ongoing nightly protests.The cases the office said it would not prosecute are ones where the most serious offense is a city ordinance violation or where the crime(s) do not involve deliberate property damage, theft or the use or threat of force against another person. State police commanders will direct troopers during the protests, and Hampton said he will oversee the overall response from an incident command center with Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell.Portland’s protests began after the Minnesota police killing of George Floyd on May 25.The downtown demonstrations are often among several daily Black Lives Matter protests throughout the metro area. One person used one to shout in support of police, “Blue lives matter!”By midnight, the size of the crowd had dropped below 1,000. “I love it. Traffic was still able to get through.
One of them said he was turning in. Some people moving this way now. The relative calm has allowed state troopers to remain almost entirely out of sight.Demetria Hester leads a group of self-identified mothers who have become a fixture at the protests. Published July 24, 2020 Updated July 29, 2020 PORTLAND, Ore. — Seyi Fasoranti, a chemist who moved to Oregon from the East Coast six months ago, …