Portland, Oregon police are investigating an incident during which gunfire was fired amid an outbreak of violence on Sunday between members of opposing far-right and far-left groups in the city.
Local police said Sunday they were called to the area of Southwest 2nd Avenue and Southwest Yamhill Street in the city center, according to a report of gunfire. When they arrived, police said witnesses told them they saw a man firing a gun.
Minutes later, officers arrested Dennis G. Anderson, 65, of Gresham, Oregon, on charges of unlawful possession of a weapon and misuse of a weapon. No one was injured during the shooting, police said.
The shooting occurred when members of a far-right political group clashed with left-wing protesters, The Oregonian reported.
Outbreaks of violence began when some 300 left-wing protesters showed up at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, where right-wing groups had initially planned a demonstration, but moved to a local K-Mart car park.
Members of the far-left group finally arrived at the parking lot, where photographs and videos taken at the scene show verbal confrontations that deteriorated and turned into melee with people using pepper spray, bear mace, paintball guns and fireworks.
Before responding to the shooting, local police adopted what the newspaper described as an “all-day” approach, saying only that the department was monitoring the situation.
Some members of the far-left group erected barricades on city streets as the fighting persisted, and members of the proud right-wing boys reportedly turned around in a service van.
“We moved the rally to avoid altercations and violence between us and the people on the left, but if they show up here, we will defend ourselves,” a Proud Boy told the newspaper.
Portland has been a cradle of civil unrest, often cited as clashes between protesters from competing ideological groups. A federal court in the city center required protection from the National Guard for several weeks last year after being repeatedly attacked by protesters following the police assassination of George Floyd.