Antifa rioters try to burn down Portland police building over Rittenhouse acquittal

18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted on all charges Friday, found by the jury having acted in self-defense when he shot three Black Lives Matter rioters, killing two and injuring the third, during the August 2020 riots that erupted in Kenosha, Wisconsin, over the police shooting and wounding of Jacob Blake.

Portland law enforcement declared a riot Friday night after BLM-Antifa activists took the streets across majority US cities in solidarity with Kenosha. Antifa rioted and damaged property in downtown Portland as vengeance for the jury's verdict.

An estimated 200 "hostile" individuals rioted at the downtown Multnomah County Justice Center around 8:45 pm PST, hurling "urine, alcoholic beverages, water bottles, and batteries" at deputies blocking the ramp entrance into the government complex, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. Several members of the crowd were heard saying "burn it down," referring to the Justice Center, which houses inmates, the central police station, and the sheriff's office.

"Because a large group of people were engaging in tumultuous and violent conduct, and further entry into the building would have posed significant implications and grave risk of causing public alarm, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office declared a riot," the office said in a statement Saturday.

FOX 12 Oregon reported the rioters smashed windows and broke doors.

A crowd gathered near SW 2nd Avenue and SW Madison Street and participants began breaking windows and damaging doors of city facilities in the area as rioters launched objects at police officers in the area, Portland Police tweeted.

The rioters shattered the rear hatch window of a patrol sergeant's cruiser, windows from the city print shop, and tagged the justice center building, police reported. "All cops are Kyles" was spray painted on the front of the PPB's central precinct.

Antifa rioters shut down the road outside the Justice Center and chanted, "Kyle is a terrorist!" Attempting to incite violence, the anti-Rittenhouse mob yelled, "Every city, every town, burn the precinct to the ground!"

Due to the "violent, destructive behavior" by a significant part of the crowd, the gathering in downtown Portland was declared a riot, PPB announced.

A dispersal order was issued via social media and loud speaker, instructing rioters to travel west and warning that failure to adhere may result in citations, arrests, and use-of-force, including pepper spray and impact weapons.

PPB clarified that the MCSO declared the riot when the gate to the detention center was being damaged. Portland Police's sound truck was used to broadcast the information on behalf of law enforcment partners. MCSO directed the PPB incident command to communicate the riot declaration and use-of-force warnings to the demonstrators using the mobile sound truck, MCSO added.

Portland Police appeared to retreat as violent Antifa rioters in black bloc advanced, shouting threats: "F*ck you! Move back, motherf*ckers! You f*cking cowards!"

Significant resources were diverted to address Friday's riot, affecting response times. "While we have officers assigned to address emergencies citywide, lower priority calls will have to wait for a while," Portland Police tweeted.

The severe staffing shortages within the Portland Police are due to police defunding and the demoralizing work environment. The few remaining officers were deployed to prevent Antifa rioters from storming the Justice Center.

One arrest was made for a warrant and another person was criminally cited. Five citations and 17 warnings were issued, PPB reported in a press release Saturday.

Antifa rioters also attacked a KATU camera crew and attempted to keep the press team from recording the events unfolding downtown Friday night.

After the mob demanded the crew stop documenting the chaotic scene, Antifa rioters then attacked the KATU camera operator when the crew asserted its right to record in a public space. A confrontation occurred between the violent radicals and the local ABC-affiliated television station's security guards. The news crew was uninjured but the camera was damaged, KATU reported.

"Because of sustained threats & assaults like this, most news crews don't send reporters to cover the antifa events, leaving few who do at more risk," tweeted The Post Millennial editor-at-large Andy Ngo, who has been assaulted by Antifa.