Far-left extremists attacked an occupied apartment building in Portland on Monday night and damaged surrounding businesses, prompting local officials to once again declare a riot.
“A mass gathering devolved into a riot after individuals broke windows, burglarized a business, and lit a fire in an occupied apartment building,” the Portland Police Department said in a statement. “Some in the crowd began lighting off what appeared to be illegal commercial-grade fireworks. A fire was lit in a garbage can in the street. Some windows were broken and walls were defaced with graffiti . In an attempt to deescalate, officers stayed out of sight and monitored the situation from a distance. However, the vandalism and burning continued. People were seen burglarizing a business, taking furniture out, and throwing it on the fires in the street.”
Rioters set fire to local outdoor businesses in Portland. pic.twitter.com/TvV4xiAHDx
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 1, 2020
After law enforcement declared an unlawful assembly, “officers observed someone throw burning material through a broken window into a ground-level business in a large, occupied apartment building,” the department continued. “Out of concern that the fire could spread, causing an extreme life safety concern, the incident was declared a riot.”
Authorities said that investigators were looking for the person who set the fire.
Far left extremists attack an occupied apartment building in Portland and set a fire inside. There are kids living inside. pic.twitter.com/OfASXps04p
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 1, 2020
Antifa in Portland smashing up the entrances of residential apartment buildings. pic.twitter.com/ftBlufOBGz
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 1, 2020
“Over loudspeaker, participants in the gathering were told that the area was closed to all persons, including media and legal observers, to allow firefighters to respond and extinguish the fires. Few, if any, of the persons complied,” the department continued. “Officers began to move the crowd. Immediately officers reported rocks and paint balloons being thrown at them. Arrests were made. As the crowd moved away, some attempted to stack debris in the road to create barricades.”
Law enforcement arrested the following 19 individuals:
- Giacomozzi, Kyle, 37, of Happy Valley, Oregon — Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Johnson, Alexandra, 28, of Portland – Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Shearer, Cody, 28, of Beaverton, Oregon – Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Varty, Victoria, 30, of Portland – Riot, Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Myles, Rachel, 34, of Portland – Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Babb, Christopher (booked under the name Doe, John), 45, unknown residence – Attempted Assault on a Public Safety Officer, Riot, Interfering with a Peace Officer, Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Carrying a Concealed Weapon
- Long, Scott, 48, of Portland – Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Grundmeyer, Tina, 53, of Portland — Riot, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Burns, Isabel, 24, of Portland – Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- White, Deven, 29, of Portland – Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Sutterfield, Trapper, 24, of Portland – Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Stanford, Garret, 29, of Portland – Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer
- Rowe, Isaac, 25, of Portland – Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer, Resisting Arrest
- Bennington, Ellen, 20, of Vancouver, Washington – Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Peace Officer, Resisting Arrest, Carrying a Concealed Weapon
- Campbell, Arianna, 19, of Portland – Riot, Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Police Officer
- Hess, Damian, 21, of Portland — Criminal Mischief in the First Degree
- Cited in lieu of custody:
Ferreira, Dustin, 36, of Portland – Interfering with a Peace Officer - Referred to juvenile court:
juvenile, 17, of Portland – Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, Interfering with a Police Officer, Escape in the Third Degree - One person has not yet been booked and therefore is not identified here.