Portland officials are cracking down following a two-day occupation and subsequent unrest at Portland State University. Police cleared protesters from PSU's Millar Library early Thursday, arresting several involved, including some students, according to a KATU report. Officials, enraged by the lawlessness, intend to pursue charges against the perpetrators for their role in the upheaval.
Mayor Ted Wheeler did not mince words when slamming the so-called demonstrators, associating their reckless actions with delusion. Running with panicked crowds from the library, the protesters were denounced by the Mayor for their futile attempts to impact Middle East geopolitics, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. Police Chief Bob Day echoed the sentiment, describing the criminal behavior captured on camera as overshadowing real issues, per an interview with KOIN 6 News.
Fueling an already tense situation, the Portland Police Bureau reported that their training vehicles were set ablaze overnight, an act being investigated as a separate arson, as per a KOIN News interview. Governor Tina Kotek vehemently denounced these acts of violence and vandalism, confirming no tolerance for such disruptions opposing Oregon's values and committing to the enforcement of the law to its full extent.
At the ill-fated PSU, President Ann Cudd mourned the damage to Millar Library, labeling the location a "sacred space" violated by its students and outside agitators. Cudd, a philosophy professor and daughter to librarians, voiced her profound dismay witnessing such destruction, according to KATU. What began as a peaceful demonstration has turned its blade on public property and become a criminal activity, officials say, rejecting any attempt at dressing the violence as a legitimate contention.
While the dust settles from the confrontations, Wheeler and fellow city leaders brace for potential further disruptions, urging for the responsible exercise of First Amendment rights. Law enforcement asserts that the current narrative diverges from the intended peaceful protest, hindering students from their education in the process.
