Protesters clash with police, smash glass doors, disrupt lawmakers on ‘unnerving’ day at Oregon State Capitol in Salem – By Claire Withycombe & Virginia Barreda (Salem Statesman Journal) / Dec 21 2020
SALEM, Ore. — A special session of the Oregon Legislature was disrupted on Monday by protesters who appeared to oppose policies designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Protesters broke glass doors at the largely-empty Capitol building, tore tarps from the marble reliefs on the front steps and engaged in a brief standoff with Oregon State Police and Salem Police Department officers.
Police made at least four arrests during the six-hour rally that included more than 100 protesters, including members of the far-right Patriot Prayer group.
A search is ongoing for another man who attacked two reporters and tried to break into the Capitol building, police said.
“We’re standing up for our constitutional rights to be here for this legislative hearing and for our rights to reopen the state of Oregon,” said Crystal Wagner. “Why are they having a legislative hearing without the people? We are the people, we are the taxpayers. We’re here to fight for our democracy.”
