Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler shut-down the prospect of an ‘Autonomous Zone’ in his city just hours after protesters targeted his home; calling the cop-free area a “distraction” from the cause.
“I do not want an autonomous zone set up in Portland. I’m watching what’s going on in Seattle and I’m not impressed. It’s a distraction… I’m not in Seattle but what I’m hearing coming out of Seattle concerns me,” said Wheeler.
Portland Mayor @tedwheeler after mob of antifa and far-left protesters took over the street outside his downtown condo last night: I don’t support an autonomous zone. pic.twitter.com/3gRhS9wcAe
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) June 18, 2020
“Businesses being shaken down to be allowed to operate. If you’re asking if that’s something I support, I do not support that,” he added.
Watch Wheeler’s comments above.
PORTLAND CHAOS: Rioters Use Bike Locks to Trap Police Inside Precinct, Dept Asks for Help on Twitter
Rioters in Portland, Oregon used rope and a bicycle lock to trap officers inside a local police station; leaving the abandoned cops to ask for help on social media while violence swirled outside.
The group at the Justice Center has shifted to the 2nd Avenue side. Some individuals are tampering with the entry and exit doors. This is a fire safety hazard causing a serious safety concern for those in the Justice Center. Remove the items now!
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 17, 2020
Locking the Justice Center from the outside presented serious life safety concerns for the adults in custody and employees inside the building. The demonstrators have moved away from the building and the doors are re-opened.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 17, 2020
“Locking the Justice Center from the outside presented serious life safety concerns for the adults in custody and employees inside the building. The demonstrators have moved away from the building and the doors are re-opened,” posted the Department on social media.
“The front door to Central Precinct was locked from the outside with the u-lock,” another tweet read. “It had to be cut off from the outside so those inside could leave. The rope was taken by protesters from the flagpole and tied to the roll-up doors on the Southeast corner of the building.”
PORTLAND SPIRALS: Police Tell City Residents ‘Fires Have Been Lit, Leave the Area, It is Not Safe’
The Portland Police Department urged residents to flee sections of the city late Monday night; telling people “fires have been lit, a store was looted, leave the area, it is not safe.”
“A group continues to stay downtown in the streets. One officer was injured after being hit in the head with a large rock. Ofc. transported to hospital. Fires have been lit. A store was looted. Arrests are being made. Leave the area, it is not safe,” posted the Department on social media.
The crowd is now in the streets near the Pearl District. Traffic may be impacted in the area.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 16, 2020
PPB and PF&R Release Information On Fires Near Downtown (Photo) https://t.co/ZcBoDohgiA pic.twitter.com/AJCRI7rNMQ
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 13, 2020
“The crowd is now in the streets near the Pearl District. Traffic may be impacted in the area,” adds the Portland Police.