Woman confronting vandals covered in paint during renewed Portland protests

Protesters in Portland allegedly threw white paint over a woman, as demonstrators clashed with police for a third consecutive day.

On Friday, following two days of protests marred by vandalism, more than 200 people clashed with police, as two other Black Lives Matter protests marched peacefully through the city.

As the peaceful demonstrations took place, a separate group gathered at a park in east Portland and marched to the local precinct.

Authorities said that when they arrived the protesters had spray painted the building, popped the tyres of police cars, thrown paint on the wall and started a fire in a barrel outside the precinct.

The Portland Bureau of Police said that a woman who was attempting to stop the violence was then “confronted by the group” and had white paint thrown over her.

While the woman was surrounded by demonstrators, one protester then apparently attempted to wrap her in yellow police tape as she argued with others in the crowd.

Another woman, who was using a walker, was also captured on video confronting protesters and was seen attempting to put out the fire, as a demonstrator stood in her way.

Black Lives Matter protests have been taking place in Portland for the last two months, following the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.

Mr Floyd’s death sparked protests in every state in the US in opposition to police brutality against African Americans, and protesters in Portland have called for reform of the city’s police department.

Last month, the Trump administration deployed federal agents to the city, after the federal courthouse had become a target of nightly violence.

The move was criticised by mayor Ted Wheeler, who told the demonstrators: “We don’t want them here,” and added: “We demand that the federal government stop occupying our city.”

Mr Wheeler called for violence to stop on Thursday after after some demonstrators started a fire outside the Police Bureau’s East Precinct building.

Speaking at a virtual press conference, the mayor criticised the protesters who started the fire and said he will not “tolerate” similar actions during future demonstrations.

“When you commit arson with an accelerant in an attempt to burn down a building that is occupied by people who you have intentionally trapped inside, you are not demonstrating, you are attempting to commit murder,” Mr Wheeler said.

The mayor added: “I believe that city staff could have died last night. I cannot and I will not tolerate that. This is not peaceful protests. This is not advocacy to advance reforms.”

Portland police have arrested more than 400 people at protests since late May, while the federal agents arrested an additional 94 people during protests at the courthouse last month.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press.

Read more

Portland mayor accuses protesters of ‘attempting to commit murder’