Videos: Portland Engulfed by Overnight Riots as Kyle Rittenhouse Acquitted on All Charges

© REUTERS / GRACE MORGANA fire burns on the street during protests after the "not guilty" verdict was announced in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, in Portland, Oregon, U.S., November 19, 2021 in this still image obtained from a social media video
A fire burns on the street during protests after the not guilty verdict was announced in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, in Portland, Oregon, U.S., November 19, 2021 in this still image obtained from a social media video - Sputnik International, 1920, 20.11.2021
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On Friday, police departments in major US cities said they were keeping a watchful eye on the situation after Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all charges, including reckless and intentional homicide, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Sheriffs have declared a riot in downtown Portland, Oregon, after a group of about 200 people protested Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal, damaging property and throwing rocks at police on Friday night.

The events were deemed a riot after "violent, destructive behaviour by a significant part of the crowd", who began breaking windows and doors of city buildings.

This comes amid reports that some protesters talked about burning down the city's Justice Centre, where the Portland Police Bureau headquarters, a county jail, and several courtrooms are housed.
A number of photos and videos purportedly depicting the Portland unrest have since been shared on Twitter, with one piece of footage showing a person in a wheelchair being knocked down as a result of clashes between police and protesters.

Cops warned residents that responses to lower-priority calls may be delayed, adding that "significant resources have been diverted to address this riot and it is affecting response times".

Police officers used loudspeakers to ask rioters to disperse or face the use of force, including "pepper spray and impact weapons", as well citation or arrest.
The crowd had largely been dispersed by 11 p.m. local time, and it remains unclear whether any arrests were made, according to KOIN TV, Portland's CBS affiliate.

The unrest occurred after US President Joe Biden urged Americans "to express their views" peacefully and lawfully following the jury's decision to acquit 18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse on all charges in the 2020 Kenosha shooting incident.

POTUS earlier said that the Rittenhouse verdict would leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, including himself, but that the jury's decision must be acknowledged.
Former US President Trump, in turn, congratulated Kyle Rittenhouse "for being found innocent of all charges", adding in an emailed statement that "it's called being found not guilty - and by the way, if that's not self-defence, nothing is!"
Kyle Rittenhouse hugs one of his attorneys Corey Chirafisi as he reacts to the verdict during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S., November 19, 2021 - Sputnik International, 1920, 19.11.2021
Tom Cotton Demands Public Apology From Biden For Calling Rittenhouse 'White Supremacist' Last Year
The 18-year-old was found not guilty on all charges, including reckless and intentional homicide, after shooting three men, killing two, during racial justice riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last August. Rittenhouse insists that he acted in self-defence, arguing he did not intend to kill anyone, but wanted to "protect" the property and businesses being looted and ransacked by rioters in Kenosha.
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