By Justine Coleman - 01/01/21 08:56 AM EST
Protesters and police clashed in Portland, Ore., on Thursday night during a New Year’s Eve demonstration that police declared a riot.
The Portland Police Bureau designated the protest as a riot shortly before midnight on the holiday, citing the demonstrators’ use of violence, with local CBS affiliate KOIN reporting the declaration came at about 10:50 p.m.
Within a half hour, Portland police advanced on the demonstration, prompting protesters to blast fireworks at them while officers used pepper balls, rubber bullets or some other type of less-lethal munition, according to KOIN.
ADVERTISEMENT
Police said in a release that they did not use gas but utilized “inert smoke and some impact munitions” in their response.
Portland Ends 2020 With Violence as Rioters Destroy Businesses and Throw Firebombs at Police
Authorities in Portland declared another riot near the federal courthouse shortly before the New Year after a large crowd of rioters clashed with police, smashed windows, and threw firebombs, according to police.
The riot was declared at about 11 p.m. after a crowd of between 80 and 100 protesters gathered earlier in the night in the area of Southwest Avenue and Southwest Main Street, with some in the crowd engaging in violence, according to a Portland Police Bureau (PPB) statement.
At least two Molotov cocktail-style firebombs and large fireworks were hurled and launched at riot police, the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse, and the Multnomah County Justice Center, police and video footage confirms. Some rioters also attempted to break into the justice center but failed to do so.