Activist's arrest in Portland galvanizes Black Lives Matter
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The arrest during a Portland, Oregon protest of a Black woman who became a leading activist in the racial justice movement after she was assaulted by a white supremacist three years ago has galvanized local and national Black Lives Matter groups.
Demonstrators took to the streets again Monday night and police broke up a protest outside a police precinct substation after they said protesters shined strobe lights at officers and hurled eggs and water bottles at them.
Nine people were arrested when clashes broke out, with some protesters throwing rocks and golf balls in the mayhem. One officer suffered an arm injury in a scuffle for which she was treated and released from a hospital, Portland police said in a statement Tuesday morning.
Portland has endured more than two months of often violent, nightly protests since George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis.
Authorities said Demetria Hester, 46, won't be charged following her predawn Monday arrest after a protest that started Sunday night and turned violent outside the union headquarters for Portland's police.
She had been booked on suspicion of disorderly conduct and interfering with a police officer during the protest. Hester’s arrest drew a sharp rebuke from national Black Lives Matter activists, who are increasingly focusing on demonstrations in Oregon’s largest city.
After her release, Hester told reporters that she would keep protesting and joined others in announcing plans for a fundraiser to send Black mothers to Washington, D.C.
“I was born and bred to do this. This is a dream come true,” Hester said. “This is a revolution and we’re getting reparations."
Hester and 15 other people were arrested during Portland’s 73rd consecutive nights of protest, when a group of about 200...