Police declared a riot in downtown Portland Wednesday night as protests turned violent and votes in the general election continued to be counted a day after Election Day.
Governor Kate Brown deployed the Oregon National Guard, which had been placed on standby before the election to respond in the event demonstrations devolved into violence. Guard members were deployed to assist local authorities in “the interest of public safety,” the governor said.
Demonstrators vandalized businesses and threw objects at police, including one man who was arrested with a rifle, several magazines of ammunition, commercial grade fireworks, a knife, and spray-paint cans, according to police.
At least eleven individuals were arrested in connection to the riots Wednesday night.
The governor on Wednesday also extended an executive order establishing a unified police command of Oregon State Police and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office to handle potential violence in the wake of the election. The order was originally set to expire Wednesday evening, but Brown extended the joint command to continue through Friday.
Any “political violence, intimidation and property destruction will not be tolerated,” the Democratic governor warned.
Two groups of protesters, one a “Defend Democracy” march that passed the Multnomah County elections office, and another protest group that was seen smashing windows of businesses met up in the evening.
Downtown Portland has been wracked with violent demonstrations nearly every night since the police custody death of George Floyd in May in Minneapolis. President Trump has demanded city leaders crack down on the violence as part of his campaign for law and order.
Two days after the presidential election, the results remain unknown as several states remain too close to call. Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania have not yet been called for either Trump or former vice president Joe Biden. Biden currently has a healthy edge in electoral votes over Trump, who has demanded a recount in Wisconsin, which was called for Biden.
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How interesting that the destruction is being done by the group not identified and not one for defending democracy!
It is time to root out the evil people among us for what they are. Just angry individuals, whose commonality is anger and nothing else.
So the Democrat turns “Law and Order” AFTER the election. Why wasn’t it stopped when it started? Why don’t Citizens question this nonsense?
My point exactly. It seems after the election is over the National Guard are no longer Trumps Storm Troopers, and police are deemed essential to prevent further destruction.
Wonder why they never thought of this for past 6 months?
Typical leftist democrat agendas outweighs the call for public safety and law!! Kate Brown is a scumbag!! She only calls for peace after elections!! Wait until the truth comes out about the fraudulent votes! You’ll really see unrest then!! It’s our turn to cry and destroy things for the next four years. Oh wait, that’s right. We conservatives don’t do things like break the law!!