Politics

Portland Rioters Hurl Massive Molotov Into Crowd Of Officers, Light Police Precinct On Fire

Protesters throwing pieces of paving during and metal tubes at riot police during clashes at Bankova str, Kiev, Ukraine. December 1, 2013.

Portland rioters hurled a massive Molotov cocktail into a crowd of officers, broke windows and lit part of a police precinct on fire in riots that followed a grand jury’s decision to indict one of three Louisville police officers involved in the March death of Breonna Taylor.

The mob tossed a total of three firebombs at officers — one of which ignited a cop’s foot, as police declared the gathering to be a riot, according to a blog post from the Portland Police Bureau (PPB). Video shows at least a dozen officers scattering away from a massive Molotov cocktail that was tossed into the middle of their line.

Watch: A rioter at the BLM-antifa Portland riot throws a large Molotov cocktail at @PortlandPolice. #PortlandRiots #antifa pic.twitter.com/mRGCAbFOQe

— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) September 24, 2020

Part of the PPB Central Precinct was lit on fire and rioters shattered windows with “softball-sized rocks” and soup cans, as law enforcement hastily tried to exit, the department wrote.

Rock used against Portland Police/PPB Blog

Rioters also used high-powered lasers, which have been known to blind victims, against responding officers, the post read. Multiple law enforcement personnel were injured and numerous arrests were made, but details will be released at a later day, the department wrote.

Crowd control munitions were used to disperse the crowd that cleared the streets around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the department.