Antifa protesters burned U.S. flags, stormed a bank, and clashed with police outside a federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday.
The original protest, intended as a demonstration against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, escalated when agitators began smashing a federal courthouse and burning American flags, according to the Daily Mail.
Protesters could be seen in videos posted on social media setting fires around the courthouse.
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“Antifa set fire to the federal courthouse in downtown Portland,” journalist Andy Ngo tweeted. “There are people inside.”
Antifa set fire to the federal courthouse in downtown Portland. There are people inside. #PortlandRiots #antifa pic.twitter.com/9sxBZkDe2t
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) March 12, 2021
In another video, federal agents could be seen deploying tear gas and firing pepper balls into the crowd as they attempted to restore order.
Scenes of chaos have returned at the heart of downtown Portland as federal officers mobilize to protect the courthouse after #antifa set it on fire. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/ZBJGfSFCWR
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) March 12, 2021
The glass door gets smashed and DHS agents unload pepper balls into the crowd. pic.twitter.com/Cv0OLpOxJG
— Garrison Davis (keyboard cowboy) (@hungrybowtie) March 12, 2021
Rioters also attempted to break into a Chase bank and appeared to be kept at bay by an armed security guard.
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#Antifa and other far-left rioters in Portland tried to break into the @Chase bank. A lone security guard tried holding them back. He pulled out a pistol during the mob attack. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/Sw3SU8PO0A
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) March 12, 2021
Rioting has become common in Portland since last summer, and the city at one point last year witnessed violence in the streets from Antifa for 100 days in a row.
