SE Portland neighbors describe tear gas entering their homes on 100th night of protests

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    PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) — For 100 consecutive nights, there have been protests in neighborhoods across Portland.

Saturday night, Portland police declared a riot in southeast Portland and arrested 59 people with charges ranging from interfering with a peace officer to unlawful use of a weapon.

After a riot was declared, police used impact munitions and tear gas to disperse the crowd, eventually leading them into the neighborhood near Ventura Park Elementary School.

The night started off at Ventura Park. Anywhere from 300 to 400 people gathered to listen to speakers and performers before they marched to the East Precinct.

However, before protesters even left the park, police told the crowd they would not be permitted to leave Ventura Park and go to the precinct.

Protesters began to march down Southeast Stark anyway, but were met by a police line down the road. This is when the night took a turn.

Police gave several warnings, declaring the group a riot and began to use pepper balls at the crowd.

That’s when several Molotov cocktails were thrown in the direction of the police line, falling short and hitting a protester whose feet caught fire.

Fireworks were set and this is when tear gas was deployed to disperse the group.

Protesters broke off into smaller groups and eventually protesters regrouped at the park again. Police moved them into the neighborhood near Ventura Park Elementary School and used more tear gas.

This is when neighbors said they could smell the tear gas in their houses.

“It ended up in my home, in our living room. I made sure all my kids and my girlfriend’s kids went into their bedrooms. We locked ourselves in the bedroom as well. I have one tear gas mask we used if we needed to go into the living room,” Austin Ripley, Ventura Park neighbor, said.

Ripley wasn’t the only neighbor to smell tear gas. Jerry Lentino said he also has a young child who was home last night.

“We had to close up the windows and pull the air conditioner units out of the window and then just watch it happen right in front of my house. They were out here for three hours,” Lentino said.

He said police shouldn’t have pushed the protesters into this neighborhood.

“It was the worst decision ever. This whole neighborhood is full of kids and families and parents. This park gets more usage than any other park I’ve lived next to. It’s constantly full.” Lentino said. “Policing doesn’t need to be like that.“

Mayor Ted Wheeler released a statement about Saturday’s riot, saying: “Portlanders value peaceful demonstrations and the reform they seek. We need to end this long, hard summer, and come together. The community must say “enough is enough” and hold those who engage in criminal acts accountable. We cannot truly move on together and make the positive changes we want to see until violence is stopped.”

On Sunday afternoon, firefighters said attempts were made to collect all the incendiary devices and acid bombs that were thrown during the riot, but some might have been missed, especially in the areas between Southeast 102nd and 122nd avenues and Southeast Stark Street to Market Street. Anyone who sees such items is advised to not touch them and call dispatchers at 503-823-3333.

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