Arrests Made in Portland and Seattle on Inauguration Day for Violence, Property Damage

Several arrests were made in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington on Inauguration Day Wednesday after people lit fires and caused property damage in scattered instances throughout the evening. People in Portland vandalized the state's Democratic Party headquarters and the offices of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); in Seattle, several businesses were vandalized and marchers reportedly decried ICE. Similar events were rare across the nation Wednesday as President Joe Biden was officially sworn in. There were reportedly also peaceful protests, both in the aforementioned cities and elsewhere throughout the country; many had speculated about potential political violence on Inauguration Day following the Capitol building breach on Jan. 6 that left five people dead. The news was covered throughout the spectrum, but significantly more prominently by right-rated sources, which were often quicker to label the events as violence. Some reports from right-rated outlets also framed the media and certain Democrat leaders in a critical light for not acknowledging the vandalism. Coverage from left- and center-rated sources placed more attention on the fact that most demonstrations Wednesday were peaceful.