Riot declared near Portland public safety building

PORTLAND, Ore. — Police forced protesters away from a law enforcement building early Sunday, as efforts to stop the demonstrators from gathering at the building seemingly fell apart.

The protesters apparently had plans Saturday night to march from a park to the Penumbra Kelly public safety building, news outlets reported. But, a standoff between marchers and officers took place on a bridge along the way — and the demonstrators retreated.

Protesters appear to have returned to the park, and then taken cars to the building, according to a reporter for The Oregonian/oregon Live.

Police initially declared an unlawful assembly, saying items had been thrown at officers, green lasers had been pointed at officers and a support airplane and paintball guns had been fired.

The gathering was later declared a riot. Officers had been hit with rocks, bottles and other objects, police said. Numerous officers reported seeing people with some type of “press” identification throwing rocks at them, the agency reported.

Images posted online showed officers using smoke to clear the area. Fourteen people were arrested.

The unrest followed rivaling protests Saturday afternoon. Federal authorities forced demonstrators away from a plaza near a federal building as dueling demonstrations by rightwing and left-wing protesters turned violent.

The Saturday afternoon demonstration involving hundreds of people began about noon near the Multnomah County Justice Center, news outlets reported. Demonstrators hurled rocks and other items at each other and got into fights. Streets were blocked amid the mayhem.

Right-wing groups had announced a rally near the Justice Center that quickly drew counter demonstrators.