Police chief IDs 29 people arrested in north Portland riot, cites ‘life safety’ as top priority
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PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) — Portland’s police chief is defending officer’s actions after a protest in north Portland on Tuesday night was declared a riot.
Chuck Lovell’s words come as the bureau on Wednesday released the names of 29 people arrested in connection with the riot and the charges they are facing.
On Tuesday, police said about 200 demonstrators began gathering at Peninsula Park around 6 p.m., later marching peacefully towards the Portland Police Association’s office in north Portland.
Soon after the protesters arrived in the area, police said the crowd blocked the road on North Lombard Street at North Campbell Avenue. Some threw projectiles such as rocks and water bottles at officers as well as shined green lasers into officers’ eyes.
Later into the night, police declared the assembly and unlawful assembly and used a sound truck to tell demonstrators to disperse or face the possibility of arrest of use of force.
Over the next hour, demonstrators remained in the area and continued to engage with officers, according to police, which including more projectile throwing, movement of dumpsters and plastic trash bins into the street, attempts to set fire to the dumpsters and trash bins and deployment of orange smoke towards officers.
Police said just before 10:15 p.m., demonstrators began lighting commercial grade fireworks and throwing them at officers. It was then that police declared the event a riot and told protesters to disperse to the east, with officers using CS gas to disperse the crowd.
Lovell released the following statement on Wednesday regarding the riot:
“We have experienced weeks of demonstrations that have turned into almost nightly unlawful assemblies, civil disturbances and riots. We have had law enforcement facilities and personnel targeted with violence, including the barricading and burning of an occupied police facility on more than one occasion. Last night, another march occurred, this time in a residential neighborhood where many families were at home and some were likely sleeping. Some have said we are only protecting an empty building and the force used was excessive. My response to that is we would have seen one building lit on fire in a neighborhood where a commercial building fire could have led to residences being burned with families inside. Life safety for all is our number one priority. We are determined to protect our community. This is bigger than property; it is about human lives.”
The bureau on Wednesday said five officers and one criminalist sustained injuries during the riot, including some injuries from thrown rocks and full beverage cans.
The following suspects were arrested in connection with the riot:
Simon Narode, 28 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II
Devon Casey, 21 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II, assault on a public safety officer
Lesley McClain, 34 years-old, riot, interfering with police officer
David Mandala, 27 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II, riot, resist arrest
Justin Yau, 30 years-old, interfering with police officer, riot
William Wesley, 36 years-old, riot, disorderly conduct II
Samantha Wrigglesworth, 25 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II
Ivy Black, 22 years-old riot, interfering with police officer (2 counts)
Cory Elia, 31 years-old, disorderly conduct I, ssault on a public safety officer (2 counts) resist arrest, interfering with police officer (2 counts)
Michael Woods, 22 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II, riot
Ryan Krellwitz, 31 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II, assault on a public safety officer, riot MW 03/17/89
Reid Bramble, 42 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II
Joseph King, 39 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II
April Mackay, 33 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II
Bethany Carlson, 27 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II, riot
Lucas Strong, 26 years-old, assault on a police officer, harassment, escape II, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II,
Nicholas Buri, 25 years-old, disorderly conduct II, assault on a public safety officer
Alexander Nichols, 26 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II
John Alger, 23 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II
Christopher Plechot, 21 years-old, interfering with police officer
Rushton, Daniel, 24 years-old, interfering with police officer
Damesha Smith, 27 years-old, assault on a public safety officer, attempted assault on a public safety officer, harassment
Willem Visser, 39 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct II, resist arrest
Evan Tupper, 40 years-old, interfering with police officer
Zoe Ezechiels, 23 years-old, interfering with police officer IPO
Kekie Ulmer, 29 years-old, interfering with police officer, disorderly conduct I
Danguole Lekaviciute, 34 years-old, interfering with police officer
William Sturky, 30 years-old, riot
Lester Wrecksie, 43 years-old, riot
Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek, who represents the district where last night’s protest happened, sent a letter to Mayor Wheeler’s Office on Wednesday morning:
“It was an unnecessary escalation by the PPB against people exercising their freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. It showed an utter inability to exercise restraint. Smart policing is when an officer can differentiate a minor provocation from a serious threat. Nothing about this was smart. As the Police Commissioner, I implore you to take action to keep this from happening again,” Kotek said.
The mayor’s office responded on Wednesday:
“We saw the speaker’s statement and appreciate her input. We look forward to providing her a briefing so that she has the benefit of the same information our team – the sheriff, county chair, chief, mayor, district attorney, and district attorney-elect – is operating with,” the office said.
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