George Floyd protests in Portland, Oregon

For related protests in Portland, Maine, see George Floyd protests in Maine § Portland.
For broader coverage of this topic, see George Floyd protests and Protests in Portland, Oregon.

George Floyd protests in Portland, Oregon
Part of the 2020–2023 United States racial unrest, the Black Lives Matter movement, the George Floyd protests in Oregon, and the George Floyd protests
Protesters surround the perimeter fence of the Hatfield United States Courthouse on July 22, 2020
DateMay 28, 2020 – 2021
Location
Portland, Oregon, United States
Caused by
Goals
Methods
Number
1,000+
Unknown
Casualties
Death(s)1
InjuriesUnknown
Arrested970+[1]

Starting in May 2020, protests following the murder of George Floyd were held in the city of Portland, Oregon, concurrent with protests in other cities in the United States and around the world. By July 2020, many of the protests, which had been held every day since May 28, drew more than 1,000 participants.[2] Protests continued into August, September, and October 2020, often drawing hundreds.[3]

The majority of the protests in Portland were peaceful,[4][5][6] but many demonstrations involved rioting, heated confrontations with law enforcement and counter-protesters, and use of tear gas and other weapons. There were numerous instances of arson, looting, vandalism, and injuries during nighttime protests. One person was shot and killed in the aftermath of a clash between protesters and counter-protesters.[7]

In early July, the federal government deployed law enforcement officers to Portland for the stated purpose of protecting federal property amid the unrest. The deployment was criticized for not clearly identifying officers and for seizing protesters not on or near federal property, including by Portland's mayor and most of the state's congressional delegation. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection service defended the practice on the grounds of protecting the officers' personal safety. Several lawsuits were filed by and on behalf of journalists and legal observers against local and federal law enforcement, and by the state against several federal agencies.

Protests continued in Portland in the aftermath of the 2020 United States presidential election,[8] as well as after the January 20, 2021 inauguration of Joe Biden. Protests also occurred near the ICE facility, and clashes occurred with police.[9][10]

  1. ^ Sparling, Zane (September 19, 2020). "Portland protest arrests top out at nearly 1,000 -- for now". Portland Tribune. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  2. ^ Ramakrishnan, Jayati (July 10, 2020). "Future unclear for Rose City Justice, group that drew thousands for protests". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Aug25 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Protests in Portland grow to 'many thousands' as police and federal forces converge in the city". PBS NewsHour. July 26, 2020. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bell50 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Gomez, Henry J. (July 21, 2020). "Joe Biden Says Donald Trump's Use Of Federal Force In Portland Is "Egregious"". Buzzfeed. Archived from the original on August 10, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference USAToday was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Killen, Dave; Ryan, Jim; Nakamura, Beth; Dixon Kavanaugh, Shane (November 5, 2020). "Oregon National Guard deployed after protesters shatter some windows in downtown Portland". OregonLive.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  9. ^ KIRO Staff (January 23, 2021). "ICE protesters march through Seattle". KIRO-TV. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  10. ^ Lang, Marissa J.; Kindy, Kimberly (January 23, 2021). "Destructive protests by anarchists and extremists signal divided left as Biden administration begins". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.