Antifa protesters in Portland clashed with officials on Wednesday as they met to express dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden, forcing police to retreat and taking at least one police bicycle, officials said.
The Portland Police Department said several events were planned in the city just hours after Biden was installed and begged the nation to come together. A crowd of up to 150 people gathered at Revolution Hall at around 2 pm and marched to the headquarters of the Oregon Democratic Party, the Portland police sergeant. Kevin Allen said.
The so-called J20 protest was a demonstration against Biden and law enforcement.
Some of the group broke windows and vandalized the building with graffiti. Calls and messages to the party headquarters were not immediately returned.
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When the group left the area and marched to a nearby park, police officers made “selective arrests” in connection with the damage at Democratic headquarters. The group later dispersed.
In total, eight adults were arrested for crimes ranging from riots and possession of a destructive device to reckless fires.
At one point, when police officers on bicycles entered the crowd to tell someone to remove metal poles affixed to a strip that could be used as a weapon, they were surrounded and hit by objects, Allen said.
A video posted online shows a crowd of protesters trying to get a policeman’s bicycle.
“When the police left, the crowd showed aggression by police who swarmed and threw objects,” said Allen.
A knife was recovered from a protester, police said.
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Police officers deployed a can of smoke in an effort to leave the area safely, Allen said. Authorities warned the group that they were not authorized to march or remain on the sidewalk.
The crowd eventually moved west, with some people blocking a ramp to the highway, police said. Dumps were also lit in the area.
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Other music videos show people holding tracks that say, “We are ungovernable” and “We don’t want Biden – We want revenge!” for “Police killings”, “Imperialist wars” and “Fascist massacres”. Protesters called for an end to the sweeping of homeless camps and defended other causes of social justice.
National Guard troops were not present at the meetings.
Earlier in the day, about 20 protesters gathered in front of a United States Department of Immigration and Customs building to hold a vigil for detainees, the Oregonian reported.
Another group of up to 150 people gathered at Irving Park, which is peaceful, said Allen. Another meeting is planned for 8 pm local time at Elizabeth Caruthers Park, police said.
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Portland became the site of nightly protests last year amid a reckoning on police practices that often turned into violence between protesters and officials. Some meetings have witnessed destructive behavior, including assault, arson and murder.
Mayor Ted Wheeler recently lamented what he described as a segment of violent agitators who distort the message of police responsibility and should be subject to more severe punishment.
In Seattle, a woman from a group monitored by police in the city center was arrested for alleged assault and another person was arrested for property damage. Several locations have been vandalized in the area, police said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.