On Saturday night, as members of Antifa rioted in a residential area in southeast Portland, someone on the crowd threw a Molotov cocktail, lighting a fire in the street and setting another protester on fire. That protester ran across the street with his pants on fire, falling to the ground where other protesters attempted to put out the blaze, which was extinguished when police rushed to his aid and an officer put the fire out.
Graphic: #Antifa rioters throw a Molotov cocktail in direction of police in SE Portland. It lands next to people, setting one on fire. Video by @TaylerUSA. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/NJfEURKfkC
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) September 6, 2020
Graphic: Another angle of the person being set on fire by a Molotov cocktail thrown by antifa militants in SE Portland. Rioters try to help but don’t do much. Cops are the ones who rush in & put out the flames. Video by @BGOnTheScene. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/9gNFo73Lyc
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) September 6, 2020
You can see the Portland protester running around with their legs on fire at the beginning of this videopic.twitter.com/O6b1fC0OHq
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) September 6, 2020
A man just got lit on fire. Chaotic night in Portland already #PortlandRiots #Portland pic.twitter.com/iWOP0is6MQ
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 6, 2020
“The crowd of protesters gathered in Ventura Park at around 7 p.m. with plans to march down to the Portland Police east precinct. Authorities announced at around 9 p.m. that people who were planning to march to the east precinct building were not staying to the sidewalks and that the march was unpermitted,” KATU reported.
Just after 9 p.m. the Portland police tweeted a notice that the march was unpermitted, writing, “Portland Police are making loudspeaker announcements reminding people marching near Ventura Park to remain on sidewalks and obey all laws. The march is unpermitted. Portland Police encourage lawful demonstrations.”
At roughly 9:20 p.m. the Portland police declared the situation a riot, tweeting: “Portland Police note that persons on Southeast Stark are engaging in tumultuous and violent conduct thereby intentionally or recklessly creating a grave risk of causing public alarm. This is a riot. Police are giving announcements to disperse. People are throwing Molotov cocktails.”
Portland Police note that persons on Southeast Stark are engaging in tumultuous and violent conduct thereby intentionally or recklessly creating a grave risk of causing public alarm This is a riot. Police are giving announcements to disperse People are throwing Molotov cocktails.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) September 6, 2020
Almost immediately after that the Portland police added, “Portland Police are making repeated loudspeaker announcements ordering people to disperse and stop committing crimes or risk use of force the use of crowd control munitions including, but not limited to, tear gas and impact weapons and the possibility of arrest.”
Portland Police are making repeated loudspeaker announcements ordering people to disperse and stop committing crimes or risk use of force the use of crowd control munitions including, but not limited to, tear gas and impact weapons and the possibility of arrest
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) September 6, 2020
On Saturday, The New York Timesnoted, “Barely a half-hour from the Portland streets where racial justice protesters on Saturday were marking 100 consecutive days of tempestuous, sometimes violent, demonstrations, there are plenty of communities where people dismiss the protesters as lawless hooligans.”
An owner of a gun shop in Sandy, Oregon, roughly 30 miles southeast of Portland, told the Times that he has sold 4.5 million rounds of ammunition since March, and that demand soared after the protests Portland became violent. He stated, “There’s panic buying every once in a while but nowhere near like this. There’s such a massive rush, people are taking anything they can get.” The Times added that the owner, “who has sold thousands of guns this year, estimates that 70 percent of customers in recent months are first-time gun buyers.”
KATU added:
Earlier Saturday, hundreds of people gathered in a park just north of Portland in Vancouver, Washington, for a memorial service for Aaron “Jay” Danielson, a supporter of a right-wing group called Patriot Prayer, who was killed Aug. 29. The suspect was himself shot and killed by police Thursday. Families showed up at the event with their kids, lining up for the free BBQ and picnicking on the grass at Esther Short Park. As various speakers addressed the audience on stage, attendees waved their flags enthusiastically, occasionally breaking out into chants of “U-S-A!”