27 arrested as Portland protests reach 100 consecutive days
PORTLAND, OR – SEPTEMBER 5: Portland police officers walk through smoke while dispersing a protest against racial injustice and police brutality early in the morning on September 5, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. Friday night marked the 99th night of protests in Portland following the death of George Floyd in police custody. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
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PORTLAND, Ore. (NewsNation Now) — As unrest continues in Portland amid 100 straight days of protests, authorities released additional court documents Friday detailing the moments before the killing of a protester last weekend.
The documents included shots of security footage that showed the suspect, Michael Forest Reinoehl, duck into a parking garage and reach toward a pocket near his waist before emerging to follow the victim, Patriot Prayer supporter Aaron “Jay” Danielson. Danielson was holding bear spray and an expandable baton and had a loaded Glock handgun in a holster at his waist, according to the documents.
The shooting happened moments later and wasn’t captured on security video. Danielson was shot in the chest and died at the scene.
Authorities have said they believe Reinoehl, who was fatally shot by federal agents late Thursday in Washington state, killed Danielson. The court documents were filed to support second-degree murder charges against Reinoehl, who was a supporter of antifa — shorthand for anti-fascists and an umbrella description for the far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations and other events.
Late Friday and early Saturday morning protests continued in Portland, with police declaring an unlawful assembly and arresting 27 people.
A few hundred demonstrators had met at Kenton Park Friday before making their way to the Portland Police Association building, where officers warned protesters to stay off the streets and private property. Those who refused could be subject to citation, arrest, the use of tear gas, crowd-control agents or impact munitions, police said.
Around midnight, police ran down the street, pushing protesters out of the area, knocking people down and arresting those who they say were not following orders — as some people were being detained, they were pinned to the ground and blood could be seen marking the pavement.
The Portland Police Bureau issued a statement Saturday morning, saying some officers reported that rocks, a full beverage can and water bottles had been thrown at them, prompting police to declare the gathering an unlawful assembly.
Police said at least one woman who was detained was bleeding from an abrasion on her head, and she was treated by medics at the scene before being transported by an ambulance. The Portland Police Bureau said she jumped out of the ambulance and ran away before it left the scene, however.
Most of those arrested were arrested on suspicion of interfering with a peace officer or disorderly conduct, police said.
Oregon State Police troopers assisted local police at the protest. State police frequently helped police at the protests until early August, when they withdrew. Their return on Friday came days after Gov. Kate Brown announced the move.
Multiple events are scheduled throughout Portland Saturday evening to commemorate 100 consecutive days of protests in support of Black Lives Matter and against racism and police brutality.
Demonstrations in Portland, which started in late May after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, are reaching 100 straight nights of protests that have been marked by vandalism and violence.
Since Floyd’s killing, nights of unrest that increasingly targeted a federal courthouse prompted President Donald Trump to dispatch U.S. agents to guard the building in July.
This story is developing. Refresh for updates.
NewsNation affiliate KOIN contributed to this report.
Associated Press reporters Sara Cline and Aron Ranen contributed to this report.