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A group of protesters with signs against President Joe Biden and police marched through the streets of Portland on Wednesday and damaged the Democratic Party headquarters in Oregon.
Police reported that the group smashed windows and sprayed anarchist symbols on the political party building. It was one of at least four groups that planned to meet in town on Biden’s inauguration day.
Police officers on bicycles entered the crowd to contact a person carrying a weapon and to remove poles attached to a banner that they believed could be used as a weapon. Police said the crowd had gathered around the officers and objects were thrown at them.
Portland has been the scene of frequent protests since George Floyd’s death by Minneapolis police in May. During the summer, there were more than 100 consecutive demonstrations.
Mayor Ted Wheeler recently criticized what he described as a segment of violent agitators who turned away the message of police accountability and noted that they should be more severely punished.