The Department of Justice announced a series of indictments and arrests Tuesday afternoon of rioters in Portland.
"U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that seven people have been arrested and face federal charges for their roles in weekend riots at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland," DOJ released. "According to court documents, since May 26, 2020, protests in downtown Portland have regularly been followed by nightly criminal activity including assaults on law enforcement officers, destruction of property, looting, arson, and vandalism."
Portland residents Rowan Olsen, Christopher Fellini, and Cody Porter, along with California, Washington and Eugene, Oregon residents Shant Singh Ahuja, Andrew Steven Faulkner, Gretchen Margaret Blank and Taimane Jame Teo have been charged with a series of federal crimes. They include assaulting federal officers, vandalizing federal property and failing to obey lawful orders.
"The Hatfield Federal Courthouse has been a repeated target of vandalism, sustaining extensive damage. U.S. Marshals Service deputies and officers from the Federal Protective Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection working to protect the courthouse have been subjected to threats; aerial fireworks including mortars; high intensity lasers targeting officers’ eyes; thrown rocks, bottles, and balloons filled with paint from demonstrators while performing their duties," DOJ said.
DOJ also released photos of weapons used by and confiscated from the rioters.
Pyrotechnic mortar exploding in courthouse lobby after glass door was broken by Olsen. (Courtesy of Department of Justice)
Back of shield used by Blank to assault federal officer. (Courtesy of Department of Justice)
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