Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Law enforcement officials in Portland, Ore., declared a riot after dozens of people protested near the Justice Center against the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial in Wisconsin.
The demonstrators called for gun control reforms and a federal investigation into the case Friday night. The Oregonian reported about 100 people gathered near the Multnomah County Justice Center to protest the verdict, while KOIN-TV in Portland put the figure at closer to 200.
Both news outlets said protesters began breaking windows, damaging municipal buildings and throwing objects at officers, prompting the Portland Police Department and the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office to both declare a riot.
Chris Liedle, a representative with the sheriff's office, said protesters attempted to tamper with a gate at the Justice Center. The protesters threw "urine, alcoholic beverages, water bottles and batteries" at police, Liedle said.
One protester was arrested on an existing warrant and another criminally cited.
The protests came after a Wisconsin jury acquitted Rittenhouse on homicide charges for shooting three people -- two of them fatally -- during protests against the shooting of Jacob Black in Kenosha, Wis., in 2020. The city of Portland has been involved in racial justice protests, particularly over the past couple years.
"Here in Portland especially it's reasonable to expect there will be some type of reaction to the verdict" in Kenosha, Portland police Chief Chuck Lovell said Friday. "We're supportive of peaceful protests, people exercising their First Amendment rights."
The protests came after a Wisconsin jury acquitted Rittenhouse on homicide charges for shooting three people -- two of them fatally -- during protests against the shooting of Jacob Black in Kenosha, Wis., in 2020. The city of Portland has been involved in racial justice protests, particularly over the past couple years.
"Here in Portland especially it's reasonable to expect there will be some type of reaction to the verdict" in Kenosha, Portland police Chief Chuck Lovell said Friday. "We're supportive of peaceful protests, people exercising their First Amendment rights."
WISN-TV in Milwaukee, Wis., reported that a peaceful gathering of community activists took place in Kenosha after the verdict was read.
Hannah Gittings, the girlfriend of Anthony Huber, one of the men killed by Rittenhouse, said she misses him "every single day."
"I just want the city of Kenosha to understand ... that nobody here is ever going to stop. No one here is going to stop attempting to expose the flaws in the system," she said.
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