PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Protesters against police brutality marched through downtown Portland Saturday night, continuing a nightly ritual in the city.
The protests so far were peaceful, with demonstrators chanting “take it to the streets!”
But on Saturday afternoon a rally by a small group of alt-right demonstrators quickly devolved as they traded paint balls and pepper spray with counter-protesters.
About 30 people were participating in the Patriot Prayer rally in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center in Oregon’s biggest city. Several were armed with automatic weapons, KOIN-TV reported.
The group clashed with counter-protesters through downtown streets, and some counter-protesters blocked the exit of a garage where several Patriot Prayer members had parked.
A KOIN photojournalist reported hearing at least two gunshots at the garage.
In an emailed statement Saturday, Portland Police Sgt. Kevin Allen said the bureau was not aware of evidence that there was gunfire.
Earlier in the day, police said they made four arrests overnight as they dispersed a protest that was headed toward the offices of the police union.
The bureau declared the demonstration of a couple hundred people an unlawful assembly Friday night, saying people were throwing fireworks, golf balls and chunks of concrete at officers. Officers said they used crowd control munitions but no CS tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Demonstrations, often violent, have happened nightly in Portland for more than two months following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Participants have repeatedly broken into the offices of the Portland Police Association, vandalized them and set fires.
