25 People Arrested at #MayDayPDX Riot in Downtown Portland, Police say

PORTLAND, OR – A permitted May Day rally and march turned into a riot Monday afternoon in downtown Portland, resulting in the arrest of 25 people, according to Portland police.

The march –– which began at Shemanski Park shortly after 3 p.m. and included families with children and religious groups –– quickly devolved as masked so-called anarchists hurled rocks through businesses windows, lit a fire in the street using newsstands and wooden pallets, and threw full cans of Pepsi, metal pellets, and at least one Molotov Cocktail at Portland officers, police said Monday.

Prior to the march beginning officers collected homemade shields and other weapon-like items from demonstrators as they arrived to Shemanski Park.

"I'm very proud of the professionalism of Portland Police officers, Portland Firefighters and the members of the other law enforcement agencies that worked to keep the peace in Downtown Portland under very difficult circumstances," Portland Police Chief Mike Marshman said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the actions of the law breakers undermined and covered up the message of the law-abiding individuals who worked to peacefully get their message heard on May Day."

Portland officials revoked the march permit around 4:30 p.m. and declared the event a riot around 5 p.m., as the city’s Rapid Response Team deployed into the downtown area to control the chaos.

"Various fires were set in the street and in garbage cans, a police car was spray-painted and vandalized, and there were attempts to set at least one business on fire," police said in a statement. "Numerous projectiles were thrown at or launched at police and firefighters including rocks, bottles, ball bearings, fireworks, smoke bombs, and road flares."

One police cruiser was heavily damaged, with multiple videos from the scene revealing a handful of masked men smashing the cruiser’s windows and tossing a burning flare into the vehicle’s back end. And a Portland Fire & Rescue paramedic was hit with a can of Pepsi.

Police responded with "limited deployments of less lethal munitions," officials said.

Across social media, users accused the marchers, the media, the police, and the masked anti-fascist demonstrators for the riot’s escalation. A KOIN News vehicle was also reportedly graffitied.

In the end, 25 people (including three minors) were arrested and charged (mostly) with second degree disorderly conduct. The three minors were arrested for riot, according to police, and released to their parents.

The 22 adults arrested are*:

• Ayden Michael Foster-Wysocki, 21
• Madhab Pulle, 18
• Tyler Hans Larsen, 37
• Luis Marquez, 44
• Grahme Meneses, 20
• Jace Anthony Willis, 22
• Corey Daniel Joe, 42 –– Assaulting a Police Officer
• Brianna Borgen, 19
• Rachel Visco, 34
• Phoebe Loomis, 33
• Michell Korin Myers, 19
• Rylie Wolff, 22
• Lucy Elizabeth Smith, 35
• Glenn Allen Silbersdorff, 38
• Christopher Fellini, 28
• Frank Martinez, 24 –– Resist Arrest
• Ian Lawrence Henderson, 28
• Javier Ivan Reyes, 20
• Dan Edward Wright, 34
• Jeff Richard Singer, 29 –– Interfering with a Peace Officer
• Taylor James Evans, 24 –– Interfering with a Peace Officer
• John Barton Elliott, 26

*All were charged with second degree disorderly conduct; some were charged with additional crimes.

Photo Courtesy: Portland Police Bureau