Tensions ran high at Portland State University (PSU) as police arrested 30 people following a second breach at the school's library. The trespassers had returned after an initial operation had cleared the building and secured it. According to the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), the effort to reclaim the library began at around 6 a.m. with police setting a perimeter and making repeated announcements, urging the trespassers to exit the premises voluntarily.
Despite the early hour, police moved from floor to floor, encountering barricades and vandalism including damage to the fire alarm system. A door on the first floor which was heavily barricaded and took several officers to force open, led them to floors slick with paint and soap, or a similarly slippery substance. While clearing the building, officers met minimal resistance, although one suspect hurled a fire extinguisher at an officer and was subsequently arrested along with two others.
The operation escalated as a hostile crowd formed, surrounding a custody van and impeding its departure. Assistance from the Oregon State Police Mobile Response Team was summoned to disperse the crowd, resulting in some use of force. The confrontation continued even onto the I-405 freeway, where additional arrests were made. By 9:30 a.m., officers declared the library secure, allowing PSU contractors to begin repairs.
However, the sense of order was short-lived as PPB received notice that the barricades had been dismantled and offenders had once again entered the library. Returning to the site, eight more individuals were detained, including one by PSU Campus Safety. As the trespassers were moved out of a park that was closed, splinter groups initiated numerous marches, which were monitored from a distance by the officers who wandered away after some time.
Throughout the chaos, officers deployed pepper spray and carried less-lethal launchers, though no munitions were fired. In the wake of the day's events, seven officers reported injuries, including one serious knee injury. The full list of arrestees and their charges will be released once compiled, as the investigation continues. PSU has taken measures to further secure the library, erecting plywood barriers and a fence.
Portland Police are urging anyone with information about the crimes committed or the identities of the perpetrators to come forward. Those who possess evidence such as videos or photos from the incident are invited to email [email protected], with case number 24-105937 referenced in their communication.
