Portland police tow protest vehicle with shields, helmets

Protesters in Portland have been arrested after police told them not to go on the property of a public safety building and officers towed towed a vehicle that had shields, helmets, gas masks and paintball guns that demonstrators may have planned to use, officials said Wednesday.

The group gathered near the building late Tuesday and the vehicle was towed after the driver refused to move it, Portland police said in a statement.

Protesters were warned by officers not to go on the property and police several were arrested after they violated the order, the statement said. Portland has been gripped by protests for more than four months since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Two juveniles were detained and released and a man was arrested on a charge of interfering with a peace officer, disorderly conduct, trespass and escape, the statement said.

The gathering happened a day after protesters and Portland police clashed late Monday. Police said demonstrators hurled rocks, punched a police sergeant in the face and sprayed a chemical irritant at officers. Twenty four people were arrested.

The demonstration with about 150 protesters took place outside a police union building that has turned into a frequent protest site.