WATCH: Riot Declared in Portland After Police Union Building Set on Fire

The police union building in Portland, Oregon, was set on fire Saturday night, leading police to declare a riot and order the area cleared. Federal authorities left the city at the end of July after weeks of violent clashes between them and protesters, and local leaders have hoped for calm after the federal agents withdrew. . .

Police said there were several protests on Saturday that were peaceful, but a small group lit a fire at the Portland Police Association (PPA) building. According to The Oregonian, it’s the second time a fire has been lit at the police union building, a regular site of protests since they began in late May.

According to police, the group was warned around 10:30 p.m. to “not engage in criminal activities” and disperse. “People within the crowd committed crimes when they erected a fence, pushed dumpsters into the street to block traffic, set a dumpster on fire, vandalized the PPA office with spray paint, and destroyed security cameras,” police said in a release.

At 11:35 p.m., people within the crowd broke the window of the police union offices, entered the building and then lit a fire, “committing the crimes of criminal mischief, burglary, and attempted arson,” police said. A riot was then declared and all people assembled were ordered to leave, including members of the media and legal observers.

Officers from the Oregon State Police and the Portland police tried to break up the crowd. But three officers were injured as police said the crowd started throwing bottles and paint balloons, as well as shining green laser lights, which is a crime in Oregon. (Read more from “WATCH: Riot Declared in Portland After Police Union Building Set on Fire” HERE)

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