Portland: Police Arrest 11 As Clashes Erupt Again During Protests Against Racism, Police Brutality

On Tuesday night, protesters gathered at the site of the Saturday Market and marched in the street to the area of Transit Police Department offices. According to the police, the protesters hurled "projectiles" at the officers during the protests that went on till Wednesday.

The officers began dispersing the protesters after many continued to march around in the streets and threw projectiles such as eggs and water bottles at the officers.

While the Portland police said they used some munitions to control the crowd, they added that they did not use CS gas, the main component of tear gas.

While the cops did not mention any injuries, they said they arrested 11 people on charges of interfering with a peace officer, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and attempting escape.

For nearly three months, Portland has seen nightly protests against racism and police brutality, which were sparked by the death of George Floyd. Floyd, a Black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyd's death had sparked 'Black Lives Matter' protests across the globe.

The protests have often targeted police buildings and federal buildings. Some demonstrators have also called for reductions in police budgets. However, some members of the Black community and the city's Mayor have decried the violence stating that it's counterproductive.

Meanwhile, to safeguard federal property, President Donald Trump sent more than 100 federal agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; a move which further fuelled the protests.