The May Day protests which were taking throughout the nation were meant to support the workers and also protest the presidency of Donald Trump. While all of the protests were meant to be peaceful demonstrations, some soon got out of hand, as a small group hijacked the event to the point of where the police got involved and many were detained. The protests began to come to an end when the police got involved, as the Portland police tweeted that they cancelled the permit of the protest "due to actions of anarchists."
When did things get out of control?
The protest in Portland was scheduled to begin at 3:00 pm local time.
Soon after, the Portland police revoked this permit for the supposed "peaceful" demonstration at 4:10 pm. As the protesters marched the streets, many broke out from which the police have named part of an "anarchist" group, then marched and erupted the riot. With smoke bombs being thrown, fires being started, witnesses reporting seeing people light a police cruiser on fire and the rioters passing by the Federal building where windows were being smashed. This was more than enough reason to cancel the march that turned into a riot that on Monday afternoon.
Windows were broken at the Goldmark Jewelers and the old Gus J. Solomon United States courthouse and molotov cocktails were thrown. The riot police firing non-lethal weapons back at the protesters continued to create more tension and danger in Portland.
Police advised that anybody with a child should leave the march, then advised everyone to leave. At around 5:30 pm, the Portland police tweeted that the "riot has subsided" but they continued patrolling Downtown Portland as things calmed down. According to reports, at least three rioters were arrested near the City Hall in Portland but many more protesters were seen being detained, according to the KGW reporters on the scene.
The preparation of the Portland police
The Portland police weren't caught by surprise when the violence broke out during the May Day protests. They had prepared as they had made arrests in the past. The police also had riot gear in case it was needed. "We don't like to bring that out unless we have to," Sgt. Pete Simpson of the Portland police department said.
Simpson continued by stating that the preparation is more to let the people in the crowd who intend to cause a ruckus that they are prepared. "...let them know that we're there and we're not going to stand for that," he aid. This is not the first time that a riot has broken out that violence has erupted in the streets of Portland. The police believed it was better to be prepared and ready for anything that can happen within these protests.
