Portland, Oregon, police revealed on Monday they had recovered loaded rifle magazines and Molotov cocktails near the site of nightly local protests, which the news media has repeatedly characterized as peaceful.
The photo: The Portland Police Bureau posted to Twitter a photo of the ammunition and incendiary devices recovered on Sunday evening in Lownsdale Square Park, across from the federal courthouse that has become the target of racial justice protesters' ire.
- The police said officers discovered the "destructive devices" after responding to an apparently unrelated shooting at the park.
- It was unclear if the weapons were related to the protests.
Ammunition and destructive devices recovered at Lownsdale Square Park (Photo) https://t.co/k4ZmvTzlh6 pic.twitter.com/xHaLZM8uWi
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) July 27, 2020
Later in the night, U.S. agents deemed the 60th night of often-violent protests in the city an "unauthorized gathering" and worked for hours to clear the area.
- The previous evening, they declared a riot after the protesters breached a fence surrounding the courthouse, where U.S. agents are stationed.
The media: Many conservatives derided the elite press for consistently downplaying the violence associated with the Portland protests.
“PEACEFUL PROTEST MORPHED” https://t.co/RanvMig7Ug
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) July 27, 2020
Major outlets have for months emphasized the non-violent aspects of ongoing demonstrations against racism and policing across the United States despite numerous acts of associated violence.
Here's a sampling of recent headlines that reflect the trend:
- PBS: "Portland Police and Feds Are ‘Responding to Largely Peaceful Protests With Violence,'" July 26, 2020.
- NBC Bay Area: "Group Breaks Off of Mostly Peaceful Protest, Vandalizes Police Station, Sets Courthouse on Fire," July 25, 2020.
- NPR: "Peaceful Anti-Police Brutality Protests Continue Across the Country," June 6, 2020.
- The New York Times: "Protests, Mostly Peaceful, Continue Across the Country," June 4, 2020.
- Vox: "Protests Were Peaceful Tuesday, With Provocations Largely Coming From Police," June 3, 2020.
"LAW AND ORDER": President Donald Trump recently sent federal law enforcement officers to restore order in Portland as well as in nearby Seattle over the objections of local officials.
- Seattle police on Saturday declared a riot in the city as protests against police and the presence of the feds escalated.
- The police said 59 officers were injured by projectiles hurled at them by protesters, and at least 47 people were arrested on charges of assaulting officers, obstruction and failure to disperse.
- One police officer was hospitalized with a leg injury caused by an explosive.
