PORTLAND, Ore. — In the hours after a Minneapolis jury found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of George Floyd's murder, people in that city, in D.C. and in Floyd's hometown of Houston celebrated in the streets, laid memorials and remained peaceful.
In Portland a crowd of people smashed windows, sprayed graffiti and, in one case, punched a police officer in the head. The man who was caught on camera throwing that punch, police said, has been charged with assaulting a public safety officer.
"It’s always concerning when anyone is subjected to violence," said Mayor Ted Wheeler in a statement Wednesday. "The specific incident involving the sergeant currently is under review so it would be inappropriate for the Mayor’s office to comment at this time."
The statement went on to say videos often "lack context." He urged people to withhold judgment while that investigation plays out.
Minutes before 9 p.m., the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) said around 100 people had gathered at Chapman Square Park across the street from the Justice Center for a planned demonstration. Police said a dumpster fire was started near the area and was put out by a community member.
At about 9:50 p.m., police said a large group had started marching and breaking windows of downtown businesses. Police arrested 24-year-old Kenneth Harold for allegedly breaking and spray painting the windows of a Starbucks near Southwest 4th Avenue and Morrison Street. Harold faces a charge of first-degree criminal mischief.
Video from journalists at the scene showed demonstrators clashing with police as they made at least two arrests near Southwest 6th Avenue and Jefferson Street. One video shared by The Oregonian shows an officer push an individual, after which the officer is punched by a different person. In a news release, police said other officers then moved in to stop the assault and used "focused blows" and pepper spray.
The suspect in the assault, 36-year-old Randy Gray, was arrested and faces charges of assaulting a public safety officer, fourth-degree assault, harassment, second-degree disorderly conduct and third-degree criminal mischief.
Video from journalists at the scene showed officers leaving the scene before 10:30 p.m. In a news release, police said the demonstrations began winding down by 11 p.m.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mayor Ted Wheeler declared a state of emergency for the city in anticipation of unrest following the guilty verdict at Chauvin's trial. Police said they would be dedicating extra resources to this demonstration, and they warned they may be slower to respond to lower-priority calls.
Around that same time, a group called We Out Here Magazine issued a letter to the protest community.
The group describes themselves as an array of Black writers, artists, activists and others. The letter condemned police violence. They also wrote, "Understand that doing damage to us, our communities, and our resources undoes the work we do."
Tuesday night, Portland city commissioner Mingus Mapps also issued a statement on the destruction, writing:
But before you go out to protest, please hear my argument on why those protests should be peaceful.
As a Black man in one of the whitest cities in America, I appreciate my white allies. But to our white allies out there, before you throw that brick through that museum window, that church window, that restaurant window, please take a moment and have this conversation with at least 3 people of color:
Please ask a person of color: “Would trashing this Starbucks make your life better?”