Rioters Breach Fence Around US Courthouse in Portland, Provoking Federal Response

Rioters shield themselves after toppling a fence as federal officers deploy tear gas at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Ore., on July 26, 2020. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo

Authorities declared a riot early Sunday in Portland after rioters breached a portion of fencing erected around a federal courthouse.

The Portland Police Bureau said around 1:20 a.m. that “the violent conduct of people downtown” was “creating grave risk of public alarm,” prompting the riot declaration.