At the peak of Portland’s demonstration late Thursday, about 4,000 people took to the streets, confronting drivers, spray-painting buildings and smashing electrical boxes with baseball bats, Pete Simpson, public information officer for the Portland Police Department, told The Washington Post.
Simpson said anarchists “aligned with the Black Bloc groups” infiltrated the peaceful demonstration “covered head-to-toe and carrying weapons.”
“Their tactic is go out and destroy property,” Simpson said. Peaceful protesters tried to stop the more violent individuals, but “they’re not having any luck,” he said.
