Photos: Demonstrations before and after Portland’s curfew
KOIN 6 News Staff
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As chants of “I can’t breathe” and “George Floyd” reverberated, hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of downtown Portland for a third straight night following the death of the unarmed, handcuffed black man under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer.
As the night wore on, protesters were scattered around the city in a more spread out and decentralized grouping than the previous nights of protests. But as the curfew took effect at 8 p.m., things momentarily deteriorated outside the Justice Center.
Around 8:10 p.m., police labeled this gathering an “unlawful assembly.” Police began moving protesters back almost immediately. A phalanx of police gathered along SW Main and formed a line as protesters refused to leave.
Demonstrators near Laurelhurst Park marched west and crossed the Burnside Bridge Sunday night, and eventually merged with downtown protesters. The massive groups joined together to protest outside of the Justice Center, continuing chants of solidarity.
Shortly before midnight, police again declared the protest an “unlawful assembly” via Twitter and began using force to push the crowd away from the Justice Center and break people up into smaller groups. This continued into the early hours of Monday morning.
Demonstrations in downtown Portland on Sunday afternoon. Protesters held up their hands and yelled, “Don’t shoot” outside the Multnomah County Justice Center. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Police kneel to a crowd of peaceful protesters outside the Justice Center in downtown Portland Sunday afternoon. (Still photo taken from Facebook video) May 31, 2020 (Courtesy Ryan Ao)
Police kneel to a crowd of peaceful protesters outside the Justice Center in downtown Portland Sunday afternoon. (Still photo taken from Facebook video) May 31, 2020 (Courtesy Ryan Ao)
A protester stands to face police after Portland police kneeled to a crowd of demonstrators outside the Justice Center in downtown Portland Sunday afternoon. (Still photo taken from Facebook video) May 31, 2020 (Courtesy Ryan Ao)
Protesters gathered in Pioneer Square around 5 p.m. Sunday. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Signs that protesters held up at Pioneer Square. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Hundreds gathered in Pioneer Square in downtown Portland to protest against police brutality. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Signs held up by protesters at Pioneer Square. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Signs held up by protesters at Pioneer Square. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Demonstrators gather outside of the Multnomah County Justice Center in downtown Portland to protest against police brutality. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Demonstrators gather outside of the Multnomah County Justice Center in downtown Portland to protest against police brutality. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Signs held up by protesters outside the Multnomah County Justice Center. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Activist speaks to the crowd of demonstrators in Pioneer Square Sunday evening before the city curfew goes into effect. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Young boy and protester address the crowd of demonstrators in Pioneer Square Sunday evening before the city curfew goes into effect. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Young boy and protester address the crowd of demonstrators in Pioneer Square Sunday evening before the city curfew goes into effect. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
“Stop ignoring the racist system” sign held up in Pioneer Square. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Police tell a secondary group of protesters in the area of 47th and Burnside near Laurelhurst Park to keep moving down the street—the road was blocked off to facilitate the march. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Police tell a secondary group of protesters in the area of 47th and Burnside near Laurelhurst Park to keep moving down the street—the road was blocked off to facilitate the march. Protesters chant “Take off your riot gear, I don’t see no riot here.” May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Police presence in the area of 47th and Burnside where a second group of protesters gathered. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Protesters march on East Burnside holding signs that read “Justice Now,” “I can’t breathe,” and “Black Lives Matter.” May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
A group of protesters walks down West Burnside toward downtown Portland, May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Flashbangs, tear gas and projectiles were used between protesters and police outside the Justice Center in downtown Portland, May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Flashbangs, tear gas and projectiles were used between protesters and police outside the Justice Center in downtown Portland, May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Flashbangs, tear gas and projectiles were used between protesters and police outside the Justice Center in downtown Portland, May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Flashbangs, tear gas and projectiles were used between protesters and police outside the Justice Center in downtown Portland, May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Flashbangs, tear gas and projectiles were used between protesters and police outside the Justice Center in downtown Portland, May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Thousands of protesters crossed the Burnside Bridge into downtown Portland, May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Thousands of protesters crossed the Burnside Bridge into downtown Portland, May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Thousands of protesters converged at the Justice Center in downtown Portland, May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Protesters chant ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ in downtown Portland, May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
“Black Lives Matter” sign held up during Sunday night’s demonstration in downtown Portland. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Protesters gathered around SW 4th and Salmon in downtown Portland, May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Protesters climb on elk statue near the Justice Center in downtown Portland. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Graffiti covers the Multnomah County Justice Center. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Graffiti covers the Multnomah County Justice Center. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Protester silhouetted by gas. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Massive crowds stand outside the Justice Center in downtown Portland at the 11 o’clock hour. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Protesters stand outside the Justice Center with their hands up as police tell the crowd to disperse. May 31, 2020 (KOIN)
Smoke from projectiles looms in downtown Portland during the early hours of Monday morning. June 1, 2020 (KOIN)
After the majority of protesters dispersed, isolated instances of vandalism began to occur. In this photo, a corner of plyboard at Pioneer Place was torn away after it was spray-painted. June 1, 2020 (KOIN)
Two Portland police officers take a break and sit next to a tactical van in downtown Portland around 1 a.m. Monday. Police continued to push protesters out of the downtown area and disperse crowds. June 1, 2020 (KOIN)
Broken window display in downtown Portland. June 1, 2020 (KOIN)
