PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Police Bureau is analyzing multiple videos and a still image of the police response to a protest on Sunday, Sept. 10 in Portland, following a widely circulated video that shows an officer throwing a distraction grenade near bystanders during an arrest.
The bureau is using these videos to review the protest and the police response to the protest, which started as a peaceful rally and March Against Hate in downtown Portland and ended with seven arrests. The rally intended to counter a nearby demonstration by the right-wing group Patriot Prayer.
At about 1:40 p.m., police officers detained one woman who was at the March Against Hate.
Video taken by filmmaker Paul Kachris-Newman shows an officer throwing an incendiary device toward him, as he films the arrest.
A Portland cop violently shoved a @NLG_Portland Legal Observer who was filming an arrest of a counter-protester to an alt-right rally. https://t.co/xhe1ruo5Ts
— pdx law grrrl (@pdxlawgrrrl) September 11, 2017
“He aimed for unmasked independent press,” Kachris-Newman wrote. “No warning. Deliberate. Hit camera/chest. Reckless and dangerous.”
That device was a Rubber Ball Distraction Device, which creates a loud “boom” and shoots out rubber balls. According to Portland police spokesman Sgt. Chris Burley, the device is used to move people away from officers.
Burley explained the device was used after protesters threw objects at police.
“During this incident officers took an uncooperative subject into custody and were quickly surrounded by a group of protesters,” he said. “As officers attempted to take the person into custody, several objects were thrown at officers.”
Burley said the incident is under review but the officer may well be within his legal right. The officer has not been placed on leave.
“In order to protect fellow members’ safety and life, an officer may deploy tools such as the Rubber Ball Distraction Device,” Burley said.
The police bureau is reviewing multiple videos and images of the arrest, including the video shot by Kachris-Newman.