Abortion protests in Portland turn violent, businesses vandalized

A group of black-clad marchers​ turned violent Saturday night in Portland, Ore., smashing windows and scrawling graffiti on downtown businesses as protests continued to rage across the nation against the US Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.​

Several banks and coffee shops had their windows broken, a van belonging to Portland Public Schools was spray-painted, and a pregnancy​ resource center was vandalized, the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement Sunday. ​

“If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either,” ​a flier announcing the march​ said, according to Oregonlive​. ​

The crowd of about 100 began its rampage around ​10 p.m. near Grant Park in the city’s northeast section and continued on its destructive path until protesters left the area around 10:45 p.m., the police said. ​

The department said officers were unable to respond because of other incidents happening at the same time. ​

“​T​here was an injury shooting and a stabbing in East Precinct and a felony assault in Central Precinct,” the police department said. “Additionally, a community festival in North Precinct was underway, an impromptu ‘dance party’ drew approximately 1,000 people to Irving Park, and they held a march and blocked traffic. There were also calls about speed racers doing stunts in various parts of Portland​.”