Protesters burn government building during riot in Portland

Protesters in Portland marched to a government building Tuesday night, smashing windows and setting an office ablaze in what authorities called a riot.

The demonstrators descended on the Multnomah Building, which houses county government operations, and hurled rocks through the front glass doors while setting fires outside the building, officials said.

Once a hole was punctured in the windows, protesters appeared to toss flaming materials inside the building — setting the office ablaze.

“@PortlandPolice has declared the gathering near the Multnomah Building a riot after individuals vandalized, repeatedly smashed first floor windows with rocks and threw burning material into an office,” read a tweet from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.

After declaring the assembly unlawful, Portland cops asked all gathered to disperse. The protesters appeared to be calling for the abolition of police and prisons.

Portland has seen an uptick in violence in recent weeks as protests against the police killing of George Floyd have descended several times into violence and destruction. It was the city’s 83rd straight night of unrest, according to the Oregonian.