Demonstrations over social justice expected in Portland for 101st night

PORTLAND, Ore. (NewsNation Now) — Demonstrations over social justice were expected in downtown Portland Sunday for the 101st night in a row.

Demonstrators were expected to gather again Sunday evening in Pioneer Square for an event — billed as nonviolent — around 6 p.m. PDT.

The 100th night of protests in Portland Saturday quickly accelerated into a riot, with at least two people injured and 59 people arrested, including 16 by the Oregon State Police.

A man was set on fire amid reports of Molotov cocktails being thrown near officers who were preventing a march from Ventura Park to a local police precinct. Authorities said the injured person was later taken to a hospital. A riot was declared and the dozens of arrests followed.

Protesters threw “multiple fire bombs, mortars, rocks, and other items” at officers, Portland Police said in a statement.

“In order to defend themselves from these assaults, officers used crowd control munitions, including tear gas,” the department said in a statement.

An earlier car caravan demonstration Saturday by Black Lives Matter activists remained peaceful.

Demonstrations in Portland started in late May following George Floyd’s death after a Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Protests have at times turned into violent clashes with police.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.