Portland mayor: Time to ‘take our city back’ from violent protesters
The mayor of Portland, Ore. has asked for the public’s help putting an end to the violent protests that have ravaged his city since Black Lives Matter riots first erupted last spring.
“They want to burn, they want bash, they want to intimidate, they want to assault,” Mayor Ted Wheeler said Friday, while announcing the city would extend its state of emergency through Monday.
“If BLM leaders can show the courage to stand up to this mob, then we all should,” said the mayor, singling out the “the self-described anarchist mob” responsible for “criminal intimidation and violence.”
“Together we can make a stand … and take our city back.”
Wheeler invited the public’s help in identifying the violent protesters, while saying that that police will be allowed to use all tactics at their disposal to quell the violence, including the use of kettling, in which cops surround a crowd to contain it.
“Our job is to unmask them, arrest them and prosecute them,” Wheeler said of the violent offenders. “If you have any information, please contact the police.”
Portland has suffered yet another wave of violence over the past week, according to reports.
Last Friday night, a riot erupted with fires and gunshots. A mob destroyed windows at the First Christian Church and the Oregon Historical Society, while the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall was defaced with anti-cop graffiti.
And on Monday night, rioters caused nearly $20,000 worth of damage to a local Boys and Girls Club.
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