​CITY OF PORTLAND 

Executive Department 
Jon P. Jennings, City Manager 
 
 

City Council Workshop Memo

DATE: June 22, 2020

SUMMARY

The city of Portland experienced several protests in response to the murder of George Floyd
between May 29, 2020 and June 5, 2020. Following these protests, the City Council directed
the City Manager to provide a report of the police response during the June 1st into 2nd protest
at a June 22, 2020 workshop. This report provides a summary of the actions taken by Portland
Police during the evening of June 1st into the early morning hours of June 2.

Additionally, on June 9, 2020, the Council’s Health & Human Services and Public Safety
Committee met to review the Portland Police Department’s practices and policies. During that
initial meeting, the Committee reviewed the Department’s Use of Force policies, Body Worn
Camera policy, Crisis-Intervention and De-escalation practices and trainings, Implicit Bias
trainings, and the role of the Police Citizen Review Subcommittee. The Committee also
discussed policy recommendations from President Obama’s Task Force for 21st Century
Policing and how it meshes with current PPD policies and practices as well as an assessment
of where the PPD is with Campaign Zero’s “8 Can’t Wait” platform. The backup material from
that meeting can be found ​here​.

Throughout the nation, many cities have experienced protests following the May 25th killing of
George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, MN. On May 29, 2020, Police Chief Frank
Clark and the Police Department’s two union presidents issued an ​open letter​ to the
community expressing it’s outrage and support of continuing to critically assess its policies,
trainings and procedures to ensure they meet the highest of standards.

Typically, protest organizers work with the City’s Event Permitting staff and Police Department
ahead of time to go over logistics in order to ensure the safety of protesters, the public, and
divert traffic. Although attempts were made by the City, protest details were not shared for all
but the June 3 protest.

No formal complaints have been made against Portland Police officers for its actions during
these protests.
Protests in Portland

There were seven protests in Portland between May 29 and June 5, the majority of which were
peaceful.

May 29: ​ large, peaceful protest (Franklin Street, between Marginal Way and Fox Street)
May 30: ​ small, peaceful protest (PPD headquarters)
May 31:​ large protest which included graffiti of the PPD, but no violence
June 1: ​ large, peaceful protest which turned chaotic and violent
June 2:​ large, peaceful protest that turned chaotic and violent
June 3: ​ large, peaceful protest, police chief and officers walked with growing crowd from
PPD headquarters to City Hall, and then to Monument Square, where they dispersed
June 5:​ large, peaceful protest included marching throughout the city, Deering Oaks, and
ending at City Hall

June 1-2 Protest

The June 1st protest was unprecedented in terms of its lack of advance communication, size,
actions toward police, violence, failure to adhere to calls for dispersal, looting and other
criminal acts. Because of the lack of advance communication between police and protest
organizers the department was left to monitor social media to gauge how large this protest
would be, what area it would cover, and whether or not its intent was peaceful. By 7:00 PM that
evening, 500 people had gathered in the area of Commercial and India Streets with many
more people approaching the area. Police staged resources in the area in anticipation of
protesters movements in order to protect the their rights to peacefully (and safely) protest,
ensure the safety of protesters, protect the community as a whole, prevent damage to public
and private property, send officers home safe and sound, and be able to respond to other calls
for service. Initially, eight officers were held over from their dayshift and assigned to close
streets and provide vehicle escorts for protesters. Fifteen officers were on foot in the vicinity of
police headquarters at 109 Middle Street. Prior to 8:00 PM that evening, three additional PPD
officers working overtime were recalled to assist and eight late shift officers were called in
early.

The crowd is estimated to have reached a size of approximately 2,500 people and throughout
the evening the protesters split into three groups. The groups visited various downtown
locations including Police Headquarters at 109 Middle Street, City Hall, near Central Fire
Station, Commercial Street, and Franklin Street.

As officers tried to keep the protesters safe, divert traffic, and escort the marchers between
their locations, they were routinely impeded by masses of people that surrounded police
cruisers and protesters that linked arms in order to physically block officers access to locations
where other protesters gathered. Some protesters made physical contact with officers on foot
and some who surrounded police cruisers pounded on the vehicles and attempted to break
windows. Many times, in order to avoid escalation, officers backed off and attempted other
avenues in order to keep an eye on the crowds, assuring an ability to respond to any threats,
counter-protest, medical or other emergencies. Around 8:30 PM, several officers took a knee in
solidarity with protesters. While the crowd cheered briefly, many then became increasingly
agitated. Protest leaders encouraged the group to show respect many times. By 9:00 PM, two
of the protest groups totalling approximately 1,000 people rejoined at 109 Middle Street.
Protesters became increasingly violent after this point with cruisers being blocked and
swarmed, officers impeded on foot, small fires were lit, reports of a person with an assault rifle
and protesters with incendiary devices, bottles being thrown at officers, and someone dropping
off a backpack and running off.

Around 9:15 PM, organizers advise the group to go home, and approximately half the group
departs leaving roughly 500 protesters. This group continues loud chanting when just before
9:30 PM a semi-truck drives through the crowd, eastbound, in front of 109 Middle Street. There
was much confusion surrounding the semi-truck as some blamed officers for allowing the truck
through and some believed the truck was there to do harm to protesters. The officer posted at
the Middle Street and Pearl Street intersection was surrounded by protesters at the time the
semi-truck made it through. Some protesters went after the truck driver and attempted to
intercede as officers tried to remove him. The driver was ultimately removed from the scene
and charged with Reckless Conduct with a Dangerous Weapon.

Around 9:45 PM, there are two major groups of protesters that police are monitoring at the
intersections of Franklin and Middle Streets and Pearl and Middle Streets with other smaller
factions throughout the Old Port. In an attempt to calm the group at Franklin and Middle,
officers attempted to disengage and withdraw back to the staging area at headquarters,
however the crowd continued to follow officers and engage with them. At the same time, as
looting was observed near the group at Pearl and Middle, a Lieutenant gave the first order to
disperse, and many in that group slowly left. Title 17A, Chapter 21, Subsection 502 of the
Maine Criminal Code states that when six or more people are participating in a course of
disorderly conduct likely to cause substantial harm or serious inconvenience, annoyance or
alarm, a law enforcement officer may order the participants and others in the immediate area
to disperse.

By 9:50 PM, with the organized protest over for more than half an hour, a small group of
approximately 150-200 people still remain concentrated in the area of the intersection at
Franklin and Middle Streets. It is at this time that the crowd appears to be looking for additional
confrontation and around 10:00 PM, police receive several burglar alarm notifications and 911
calls reporting businesses being broken into as well as reports of trash cans being set on fire. It
is at this point that bottles begin to be thrown and loud chants are directed at officers. A
Lieutenant initially advises officers to let the protesters yell and not to engage, however
following a barrage of bottles being thrown, an order to disperse is issued. Protesters continue
to throw bottles and officers and civilians urge people to go home. At this point, one burst of
pepper spray is delivered via a fogger. While some begin to disperse, others continue to throw
bottles. Another official dispersal warning is given. Throughout this, there are many attempts
by protest leaders and peaceful protesters to stop the violence and urge protesters to go home
as well as additional orders by police to disperse.

At about 10:20 PM, a final dispersal warning is issued before the first two arrests are made.
For the next 20-30 minutes, police deal with bottles and rocks being thrown as they attempt to
encourage the crowd to disperse and slowly push the crowd away from 109 Middle Street in
the hopes that they will disperse on their own. With virtually no one leaving, another dispersal
order is issued and officers repeatedly advise individuals that if they do not move, they will go
to jail. Some protesters remain highly agitated with some attempting to engage officers, some
climbing on jersey barriers, and several volleys of fireworks are set off.

The fourth arrest is made a little after 11:00 PM, and after more bottles and bricks are thrown
at officers, police supervisors rotate officers out in order to give a break to those who had been
standing on line for more than two hours. Around 11:45 PM, several bottles of urine are thrown
at officers, drenching them. Pepperballs are deployed again in an effort to disperse the crowd,
and after additional bottles, urine, and bricks continue to be thrown between midnight and 1:00
AM, two more bursts of pepper spray are deployed.

At 1:00 AM, it had been six hours since the protest started, nearly four hours since the formal
protest ended and organizers first advised protesters to go home, and three hours since the
first order to disperse was issued by police. Between 1:00 and 1:30 AM, several arrests are
made to the remaining protesters who refused to leave. In total, 23 people are arrested. Police
officers returned to 109 Middle Street at 1:30 AM following the dispersal of protesters and
those who were arrested.

Mutual Aid Requested

Given the size of the crowd and social media information regarding possible violence as well
as current staffing levels of the PPD, mutual aid was initially requested from the Cumberland
County Sheriff's Office and the Maine State Police. Sheriff’s deputies were assigned to block
major intersections and the State Police sent its Crowd Management Team. Aid responded
from additional local departments including South Portland, Falmouth, Westbrook, Brunswick,
Maine State Police, Cumberland County Sheriff, South Portland Police, Westbrook Police,
Scarborough Police, Gorham Police, Windham Police, Auburn Police, Androscoggin County
Sheriff, Sagadahoc County Sheriff, Topsham Police, Falmouth Police, Cumberland Police, and
Yarmouth Police.

Violence, Injuries, and Looting

Graffiti and small fires occurred throughout the evening. Objects were thrown at police and
police cruisers including bottles and rocks and bottles of urine as well as people climbing on
cruisers and pounding on windows. Several officers received injuries from thrown bottles and
cans, and were soaked in urine.

In total, 33 businesses were damaged and/or looted (burglarized) in the Old Port area.

Crowd Control Equipment

The Portland Police Department did not utilize tear gas or rubber bullets during this or any
protests. Police did utilize oleoresin capsicum (otherwise known as “OC” or “pepper”) spray,
pepperballs, batons (used as a barrier, not impact device), shields and helmets.

OC or pepper spray is a compound that causes irritation and discomfort to the eyes and skin. A
pepperball system is essentially a compressed-air launcher, similar to a paintball device, that
allows for a stand-off distance application of frangible plastic spheres filled with a powdered
pepper-based irritant similar to OC or pepper spray. Pepperballs were utilized by generally
aiming low or towards the feet of people or groups in the crowd who were throwing things or
otherwise posing a physical threat to officers or others, in order to disperse or back them up,
after calls to disperse were ignored.
 
 
389 Congress Street ​• ​Portland, Maine 04101 ​• ​207-874-8300 
info@portlandmaine.gov ​• ​www.portlandmaine.gov