PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland absorbed another night of riots on Sunday that resulted in the toppling of two statues in the city and reports of numerous buildings with their windows smashed in, including the Oregon Historical Society.
The unrest was reportedly tied to the “Day of Rage” on the eve of Columbus Day, Fox reported.
Andy Ngo, a journalist who has been documenting the unrest in the city, posted images of the destruction on Twitter. Protesters managed to bring down statues of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, The Oregonian reported.
“F— all you colonizers!…Everyone of you that’s against Black Lives Matter can f— the f— off.”
Antifa rioters in the process of toppling the Portland statue of Roosevelt using chains. They were soon successful in pulling it down. #PortlandRiots https://t.co/XZVbVhJS41
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) October 12, 2020
Ngo posted a video of what he identified as the protesters toppling the statue of Roosevelt, which depicts the former president riding on horseback. The video showed a rope tied around the statue and protesters could be heard cheering when the statue shifted.
One person could be heard saying, “F— all you colonizers. Every one of you that’s against Black Lives Matter can f— the f— off.”
According to the report, the Roosevelt statue toppled about 8:51 p.m., local time, and the Lincoln statue fell about eight minutes later in Portland’s South Park Block. Moreover, The Oregonian said police did not intervene.
The police department took to Twitter to announce that those “trying to pull down a statue with a chain” or taking part in vandalism are “subject to arrest.” They later declared a riot.
“To those marching downtown: this has been declared a RIOT,” the police tweeted. “All persons must immediately disperse to the NORTH. Failure to adhere to this order may subject you to arrest, citation, or crowd control agents, including, but not limited to tear gas and impact weapons.”
Antifa rioters in Portland have smashed up the Oregon Historical Society tonight. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/aUozlDlBXG
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) October 12, 2020
The paper reported that once the statues met their demise, the protests moved and engaged in “other acts of destruction.”
Rioters at the historical society building reportedly put up a banner that read, “Stop honoring racist colonizer murderers.”
President Trump called on federal law enforcement to target the “Radical Left” and Antifa after rioters toppled the statues, New York Post reported.
“The FBI and Law Enforcement must focus their energy on ANTIFA and the Radical Left, those who have spent the summer trying to burn down poorly run Democrat Cities throughout the USA!,” the president wrote in a string of tweets Monday after the “indigenous peoples day of rage,” organized by a faction of Antifa.
“Taking advantage of fools. Law & Order! Portland, call in the Feds!,” Trump said in another posting.
These are Biden fools. ANTIFA RADICALS. Get them FBI, and get them now! https://t.co/RI9fH6sC1g
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2020
The president, who has made law and order and criticism of the national riots following the custodial death of George Floyd a major part of his re-election campaign, also linked former Vice President Joe Biden to Antifa.
“These are Biden fools. ANTIFA RADICALS. Get them FBI, and get them now!,” Trump wrote, adding, “Put these animals in jail, now. The Radical Left only knows how to take advantage of very dumb ‘leadership’ fools. This is Biden! Law & Order!” in another.
