Tear gas used after PPB precinct set on fire, businesses looted | KOIN.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Protesters in Portland reportedly looted businesses and set one side of Portland Police Bureau s North Precinct on fire early Friday morning, after a night of demonstrations turned destructive.

According to police, the north side of the North Precinct was set ablaze around 2:15 a.m. In response, officers used CS gas, a type of tear gas, to disperse the crowd a few canisters of which were thrown back at police by some protesters. Earlier in the night, demonstrators reportedly attempted to create an autonomous zone outside the precinct before an unlawful assembly was declared.

At one point in the early morning, protesters and officers physically clashed as police tried to move them from the area. Some protesters shot paintballs at the officers face shields, rendering them unable to see. Police say crowd control munitions were used at this time.

Several businesses were looted overnight after windows were smashed and more fires were set, according to authorities. Although it is not confirmed which business was looted, Top to Bottom on NE MLK Boulevard had restoration crews out early Friday morning installing new windows and clearing debris. A nearby bank is believed to have been vandalized as well.

via www.koin.com