PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Two separate groups of people vandalized buildings across Portland Friday night, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
One group of people reportedly dressed in black and wearing spray-painted helmets gathered outside of the Mexican Consulate on SW 12th Avenue before moving through the streets, according to the Portland Police Bureau. Most of those who joined in the destruction had dispersed before officers arrived and no arrests had been made by about 10 p.m.
Portland police tweeted that a separate group of nearly 50 people gathered at NE Halsey Street and NE 52nd Avenue before moving to NE 43rd Avenue and NE Sandy Boulevard. As the group marched southwest down NE Sandy, they vandalized several businesses.
A KOIN 6 News crew found signs of vandalism including graffiti and broken windows in the area. Windows were damaged at a Chase bank, One Main Financial and a Whole Foods on NE Sandy. A glass door was smashed at a Wells Fargo.
Portland police said this second group had also mostly dispersed by the time officers arrived and no arrests were made.
An “autonomously organized” protest was planned for Friday night. Organizers wanted people to be “extra angry at how PPB and other aspects of our city has oppressed trans people.”
The protest, ostensibly for #BlackTransLivesMatter, was planned for 8 p.m. in the South Park Blocks and was billed as a direct action march, which has often devolved into violence.
Organizers warned against anyone planning to stream it or use megaphones. They encouraged people to “bring art supplies” — perhaps spray paint for graffiti tagging — and said there will be “no masters,” that is, no leaders.
Portland has been relatively calm over the last week.
On Thursday afternoon, small opposing groups briefly clashed outside the Justice Center, but no arrests were made.
Eight days ago, a small group of demonstrators vandalized a small business that works with the city on homeless issues, tagging it with graffiti and smashing windows in the 2700 block of SE Milwaukie Avenue.
The company works with the Joint Office of Homeless Services to provide information and supplies, maintains 137 hygiene units in the city and clean up trash daily.
“In fact, people experiencing homelessness request the company assist them with trash and human waste removal,” Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Dan Ryan said in a joint statement. “Nearly 75% of the company’s staff have similar lived experience to those at campsites.”
Wheeler and Ryan together made one thing clear: “We will do everything in our power to ensure those responsible for this criminal act are apprehended and held accountable.”
KOIN 6 News will have more information as it develops.