The Portland Police Bureau announced on Monday they had recovered loaded rifle magazines and Molotov cocktails at the park near the Multnomah County Justice Center, the site where rioters continue to clash with police and federal agents.
"On July 26, 2020 while Portland Police were investigating a shots fired call near Lownsdale Square Park a passerby pointed out a suspicious bag to them. Police examined the bag and found that it contained loaded rifle magazines and Molotov cocktails," Portland Police said in a statement.
Tonight Portland Police were near Lownsdale Square Park. A person pointed out a bag to them. Inside the bag Police found loaded rifle magazines and Molotov cocktails pic.twitter.com/ytpu9pZjqG
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) July 27, 2020
"Police recovered the bag. The origin of this ammunition and these destructive devices is under investigation," the statement added.
Portland experiences protests and riots on a nightly basis in the area around the federal courthouse. A recent tactic has been rioters and agitators attempting to tear down the fence that had been set up to prevent people from trying to break in and set fire to the building.
The federal officers often have to leave the building to prevent the fires from spreading to prevent rioters from tearing down the fence.
Current scene: pic.twitter.com/tbPNvfyZGz
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) July 27, 2020
During this detainment, another woman got involved and she was also detained.
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) July 27, 2020
“I’m a nice young woman from Wisconsin ... you guys are fucking pieces of shit!” she yelled after being taken down by officers. pic.twitter.com/Bs6PNk6kzJ
Officers are responding to the fires pic.twitter.com/UFfyVPS9ER
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) July 27, 2020