'Fully condemn the criminal actions': City officials react as PSU protest escalates

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – As police officers continue to respond to the ongoing protests that surrounded the Portland State University campus Thursday morning, city officials are reacting to recent developments.

Protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and occupying Millar Library were spotted running from the building as police wearing riot gear entered the facility around 9 a.m. — days after the occupation started.

KOIN 6 News captured video of the Portland police making their way into the building, armed with 40mm “less-lethal” launchers. The agency previously said they did not plan to use tear gas on the protesters inside the building. However, chemical munitions appeared to be administered in the open air once the protest made its way outside around 10 a.m.

Portland police announced the library had been cleared by 10:30 a.m. Inside, police said they “found caches of tools, what appears to be improvised weapons, ball bearings, paint balloons, spray bottles of ink, and DIY armor.”

PPB Sgt. Kevin Allen said at least two police officers were minorly injured in the process of clearing the library. One had been sprayed with a fire extinguisher, and the person accused of spraying the fire extinguisher was immediately arrested.

Just after 11 a.m., police said that they had made 12 total arrests so far and that four of those arrests were PSU students.

Portland police Chief Bob Day said that the arrest of protesters, whether student or non-student, is not something he is happy about. He also lamented that the destruction has seemingly made the legitimate issue regarding Palestinians under bombardment in Gaza an afterthought.

“This isn’t a victory lap,” Chief Day said. “In fact, I see these events like this with a great deal of sadness, and the reason is because the criminal behavior that we’ve outlined and that we’ve seen demonstrates really co-ops the true message and the specific instances of what is trying to be accomplished.”

But PSU isn’t the only place that has seen unrest in the past 24 hours. More than a dozen Portland police training vehicles were damaged or destroyed at a training facility on Northeast Airport Way overnight.

When officers arrived, they said they found 15 vehicles inside the fenced training area burning. The fires were put out and no injuries were reported. However, police say this incident is being investigated as a separate arson.

Governor Tina Kotek released a statement condemning the acts of vandalism at Portland State University and at the Portland police training facility early Thursday morning.

”I fully condemn the criminal actions taken Thursday morning that resulted in the burning of 15 Portland Police Bureau cars, endangering first responders and the surrounding community. I have absolutely no tolerance for discriminatory harassment, violence, or property damage. This includes the acts of vandalism seen this week at the Portland State University library and against nearby businesses. These actions are in direct opposition to Oregon values and threaten working people, families, businesses, and our community as a whole. The Oregon State Police have launched a response on the outer perimeter of Portland State University. The state is prepared to exercise the full extent of the law.”

Wednesday night, police in downtown Portland also responded to smashed windows and thrown chairs near the Pioneer Courthouse.

“Last night’s events downtown were really just a tragedy," Chief Day said in an early morning interview with KOIN 6 News. "It saddens me to see the unwillingness for people to exercise their First Amendment rights in a way that gets their message out but also protects the rights of others."

At a press conference intended to address a new budget proposal, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler also briefly addressed the ongoing disruption, saying “the juxtaposition of these two issues is very unfortunate, and ordinarily we would not attempt to have a press conference on a budget matter as an ongoing police operation of this magnitude.”

Later in the day, Mayor Wheeler as head of Portland police thanked law enforcement for their efforts to clear the library Thursday morning.

“I want to stress that no one is declaring victory,” Wheeler said. “This is a fluid situation as you’ve just heard. There are still law enforcement folks who are deployed. There is still an active situation. We are viewing this as a fluid circumstance.”

He also questioned the rationale behind the decision to damage local businesses in an effort to protest the ongoing Gaza-Israel conflict.

“If you believe that by damaging a business, which frankly harms the front line employees who work in those businesses – we have reports that they were frightened, that they were traumatized," Wheeler said. "If you believe that damaging these businesses or trashing a library on a university campus will impact events in the Middle East, you are delusional.”

District Attorney Mike Schmidt condemned the “criminal acts” of those who have spray painted, broken windows and set fires in the area. He, along with Portland police, said they would review photo and video evidence in the pursuit of charging more people with crimes.

“We value the right for our voices to be heard,” District Attorney Mike Schmidt said. “I’ll always work to protect that right. …But unfortunately, we have seen that some people have resorted to destructive behavior which is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.”

PSU President Ann Cudd said the library will not be open to students for "quite some time." She previously offered no penalties for students and staff who were in the library if they vacated but now says that's off the table. Indeed, she said students and staff involved in the destruction would be subject to the university's disciplinary process.

“It is tragic that some of our students, along with others from outside, have so badly damaged our library and taken away that essential learning space,” Cudd said. “As a philosophy professor and the daughter of librarians, that space is a really sacred space to me. I am so sad to see what has happened to it.”

When asked for a statement, the office of U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) gave the following statement about the recent protest activity in Portland:

"Senator Wyden strongly supports everybody’s First Amendment right to peaceful protest while recognizing that anybody crossing the clear line from peaceful expression into property damage and criminal acts can and should face arrest."

On Thursday afternoon, a joint statement was also released by Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, Sheriff Morrisey O'Donnell and D.A. Schmidt:

“As Chair, Sheriff and District Attorney of Multnomah County, we unequivocally condemn the criminal actions that damaged our public university, burned 15 Portland Police Bureau cars, and harmed local businesses.

“We are united in our commitment to protect the right to freedom of speech and expression while ensuring the safety of our community. Those who engage in unlawful activity will be held accountable to the greatest extent of the law. Multnomah County will continue working in close coordination with the Portland Police Bureau and Oregon State Police to make sure we are prepared to respond to acts of violence and criminality.”

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.