PORTLAND, Ore. — Six people were arrested as opposing demonstrations took place in downtown Portland on Saturday afternoon. While police mostly kept the protest groups separated, there were moments when opposing protesters clashed.
The following are the names, ages and charges for those arrested:
- Gary Fresquez, 52, interfering with a peace officer, disorderly conduct
- Hannah R. McClintock, 19, harassment
- Ruben A. Delahuerga, 25, interfering with a police officer
- Elizabeth L. Cheek, 33, interfering with a police officer
- Brittany N. Frost, 35, interfering with a police officer
- Betsy Toll, 68, interfering with a police officer
Dozens of demonstrators gathered at 2 p.m. for a permitted #HimToo rally at Terry Schrunk Plaza, across the street from Portland City Hall. The rally was reportedly planned by an offshoot of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer. Speakers argued the #MeToo movement is being "weaponized" to ruin innocent mens' lives.
Counter-protesters, which consisted of women's rights activists along with left-wing members of the group Rose City Antifa, met at 1 p.m. for a Stand With Survivors rally in nearby Chapman Square. Counter-protesters outnumbered #HimToo supporters by a large margin.
"Some of us are survivors ourselves," one speaker said at the counter-demonstration. "Some of us are showing up for those who did not survive."
During the protests, police said there were multiple assaults and objects being thrown by demonstrators. Officers saw sticks, glass bottles, lit road flares, bottles believed to be filled with urine, and gopher gas used as projectiles, police said.
Officers kept the two groups separated for much of the afternoon, until the #HimToo rally ended. As #HimToo demonstrators were walking through downtown after the rally, they clashed with Antifa shortly after 4 p.m. in the area of Southwest 3rd Avenue and Columbia. Police told all demonstrators in the area to disperse, calling the incident a civil disturbance.
At one point, police said a "rubber ball distraction device" was used to break up the confrontation.
About an hour later, protesters from both groups dispersed.
The protests came just three days after Mayor Ted Wheeler’s protest-restricting ordinance was rejected by the Portland City Council.
Police kept a large part of Chapman Square empty to separate the groups. Portland police and Wheeler said city code allowed them to close the area. Barricades surrounded the plaza, and the sidewalks across the street were roped off with police tape.
During the rally, police were telling counter-demonstrators that sidewalks on Southwest Madison Street between 2nd and 4th avenues were closed. Some counter-demonstrators questioned the partial closing of the park and sidewalk limitations, claiming the mayor was enacting his proposed ordinance despite it being rejected.
Officers checked protesters for weapons when they arrived at Terry Schrunk Plaza. Portland police tweeted that officers spotted some people in Chapman Square with hard-knuckled gloves, bear mace and body armor.
Photos: 'HimToo', Antifa protests in downtown Portland
Protest ordinance rejected
On Wednesday, Mayor Wheeler’s effort to control future violent protests in Portland hit a major roadblock when city commissioners voted 3-2 against his proposal that would have allowed him to determine when, where and how long protests could take place within the city.
The most recent violent clash occurred on Oct. 13, when dozens of Patriot Prayer members brawled with left-wing counter-protesters in downtown Portland. Following the fight, from which no arrests were made, Wheeler called for the ordinance restricting future protests.
According to Willamette Week, police responses to protests have cost the city more than $3 million since 2016.