Rioters In US Portland Clash With Police, Damage Property On New Year Eve - Statement

Roughly 100 people have participated in riots in the center of the northwest US city of Portland that resulted in clashes with the law enforcement officers and caused damage to public and private property, the Portland police said on Friday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st January, 2021) Roughly 100 people have participated in riots in the center of the northwest US city of Portland that resulted in clashes with the law enforcement officers and caused damage to public and private property, the Portland police said on Friday.

"As the crowd grew to an estimated 80-100 people, some individuals in the crowd began to engage in violence. At least two Molotov cocktail-style firebombs were thrown, and large, commercial grade aerial fireworks were launched at the Federal Courthouse and the Justice Center," the police wrote on its website.

The police stressed that the mob attacked the law enforcement officers with rocks, bricks and frozen water bottles, adding that "some officers were targeted by paint balloons that may have been laced with a caustic substance as it caused burning to the skin.

"Some law enforcement officers suffered injuries, although no Portland Police officers were hurt," the agency added.

According to the police, the mob dispersed by about 02:00 a.m. (10:00 GMT), though the rioters managed to cause damage to private and state property.

The police said that no tear gas was used to disperse the crowd, adding that some rioters were detained and the information regarding those individuals would be released later.

Portland has become an epicenter of far-left activity, with violence between police and adherents of Antifa and the Black Lives Matter movement taking place throughout the summer. In early November, a mob attacked the home of the city's police commissioner, Dan Ryan, following his decision to vote against the proposal to cut the budget of the police force by $18 million.