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Portland ushered in the New Year with a riot – as vandals wreaked havoc throughout Oregon city, throwing Molotov cocktails and attacking law enforcement with stones and bricks, police said.
Crowds gathered around 7:45 p.m. near downtown Chapman Square, amid the protests that raged in the city throughout 2020.
Portland Police said at least two Molotov cocktails were thrown and commercial-grade fireworks were launched at the Federal Courthouse and Justice Center, which some rioters attempted to break into .
The mob also started several fires and threw stones, bricks and frozen water bottles at Federal Protective Services officers and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. Some were hit by paint-filled balloons, which Portland police said may have been “soaked in a caustic substance because it burns the skin.”
A riot was declared just before 11 p.m. and cops warned protesters that if they did not leave the area, they would be liable to be arrested “and / or to use force, including, but without s’ limit, impact weapons and tear gas.
The group also destroyed property, including smashing a Starbucks window, KOIN reported.
The planned demonstration was presented as being “in solidarity with BLM” with “no banners, no megaphones, no masters”, according to online publications.
“New year, same goal,” the post said.
The loud protest erupted around 2 a.m. just after police used inert smoke and impact munitions.
Police said arrests had been made but that information was not immediately available.
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