KEY POINTS

  • Local police declared a protest in Portland a "riot"
  • Portland police used CS gas as they tried to maintain order
  • City officials and a U.S. District Judge called for the use of the gas as a last resort in life-threatening situations 

A protest in Portland late Tuesday has been declared a “riot” by local police, urging officials to use crowd-control munitions to contain demonstrators as they call to end racism and violence against minorities.

The declaration of the event came after activists took part in a protest in the 1800 block of North Lombard Street around 10:15 p.m. The Portland Police posted on Twitter that the gathering was declared a riot and asked protesters to "disperse immediately."

“If you do not disperse to the east you are subject to arrest or use of force, to include crowd control munitions,” the post said.

A woman reacts after being hit by pepper spray as police tried to stop protests in Hong Kong
A woman reacts after being hit by pepper spray as police tried to stop protests in Hong Kong AFP / DALE DE LA REY

Demonstrators were near North Lombard Street and North Fenwick Avenue, which is near the Portland Police Association Building, said Fox 12.

Police used CS gas in an effort to maintain order. Fox 12 reporter Drew Reeves shared a video on his Twitter account that showed police putting on gas masks after the riot declaration.

MSN described the substance as a powder that becomes an aerosol in tear gas when mixed with a solvent.

CS gas activates a certain pain receptor and is up to 100,000 times stronger than the sting of eating wasabi. It is also very painful when it comes in contact with the skin or eyes and causes an individual to cough when inhaled.

The use of CS gas on Tuesday's “unlawful assembly” came after local officials called for the Portland Police Bureau to only use the substance as a “last resort in life-threatening situations.” U.S. District Judge Marco A. Hernandez also issued a 14-day court order that limited Portland police from using the riot-control agent in June.

At around 11:00 p.m., roughly 50 to 100 people remained at the scene, while police continued to push them east.

Reeves and KPTV reported Bonnie Silkman said they saw police making several arrests. Some protesters also blocked the road near North Lombard Street and North Albina Avenue with garbage bins and lit its contents

Other demonstrators were seen throwing water bottles at police. While most of the crowd scattered in several directions, they hadn't fully dispersed by 11:30 p.m., said The Oregonian, through Fox News.​

RELATED STORIES