The latest figures obtained by Street Roots from the city of Portland’s office of budget and finance show the city has paid over $9.1 million and counting for police violence during protests since widespread demonstrations began in May 2020.
The total includes litigation costs, like outside attorneys the city hired, as well as staff attorneys employed by the city, and other costs incurred on behalf of the city and PPB officer defendants, according to city budget and finance office spokesperson Alison Perkins. Not all settlements were a result of litigation.
The total amount is a result of protest-related property damage and bodily injury claims brought against PPB. Multiple incidents sparked claims as early as May 29, 2020, just four days after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd. The claims from that day allege PPB violated protestors’ Constitutional rights by using tear gas, rubber bullets and other types of unnecessary force.
Perkins said the city’s risk management and attorney’s office, City Council and city bureaus take every claim and lawsuit seriously and carefully review claims.
“Claims and lawsuits are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and researched thoroughly before any final actions are made and settlements completed,” Perkins said. “Claims and lawsuits are settled for a variety of reasons, including for reasons of cost and the desire of all parties to achieve the certainty provided by a mutually agreed resolution.”
The city’s risk management document provided to Street Roots describes a host of reasons protesters alleged PPB violated their rights. The highest payout only briefly described the incident, saying the claim “alleges their civil rights were violated,” costing the city over $771,000. Another “alleges injuries after she was hit with flashbang grenade during protest” — nearly $414,000. “Alleges she was assaulted by PPB during protest causing multiple injuries” cost the city more than $245,000, while “alleges she was injured by PPB officers when they tried to confiscate her phone” — over $297,000.
Perkins said the funding for claims are managed by an internal Insurance and Claims Fund, and all city bureaus contribute to that fund. When a settlement is finalized for any bureau, the city pays the cost out of the fund up front, then the responsible bureau — in these instances, PPB — reimburses the total cost of each claim.
In other words, as the city’s highest funded bureau, PPB’s annual budget — $308 million in fiscal year 2025-26 — is used in part to cover legal expenses for breaking its own directives regarding protest response. The city faced a grueling budget cycle earlier this year as a $93 million budget gap forced the City Council and Mayor Keith Wilson to decide how to fund essential services.
“The whole reason why we have these settlements is because there are organizations like us who say we think that they ran afoul of the Constitution when they blanket crowds with tear gas unnecessarily,” Kelly Simon, ACLU of Oregon legal director, said.
What to know
Law enforcement agencies are required to abide by laws governing how they can respond to protests. Simon said it’s important for the public to understand local, state and federal laws protecting the First Amendment right to protest, particularly as federal officials threaten to send more federal troops to sanctuary cities like Portland.
“We have rights, and law enforcement has responsibilities to respect those rights, to treat us with dignity,” Simon said. “And if they won’t, we’ll see them in court.”
Tear Gas
What it is: Tear gas comes in various forms that contain chemicals within shells, cartridges, or bombs that can be discharged or exploded, causing the chemicals to release into the air.
When police can use it at protests: A PPB incident commander must authorize officers to use tear gas, and give a fair warning to the crowd that tear gas will be used. PPB must give sufficient time for people to disperse, and must give another warning immediately before deploying tear gas. The same goes for state police. Federal agents need authorization from a commander, but details on why they make that decision are not publicly available. Department of Homeland Security agents must attempt to identify themselves and issue a verbal warning before using force against an individual.
Kinetic Impact Projectiles
What it is: Kinetic Impact Projectile, or KIPs, is the umbrella term for all non-lethal, less-lethal, or semi-lethal projectiles. That can be sponge rounds and pellet rounds — some containing chemicals also defined as tear gas — or rubber bullets (which PPB is barred by a federal judge from using and does not keep in its inventory). Some also include mace or paint to mark a subject to help officers identify for later arrest.
When police can use it at protests: PPB can use projectiles on individuals when the officer believes the individual’s conduct justifies use of force. That leaves room for officer discretion, but officers are not to target the head of an individual unless the officer believes the conduct justifies use of deadly force. PPB cannot target journalists, legal observers or other neutral bystanders. The same applies to state police. Commander authorization for federal agents is required, but details on how the decision is made are scant.
Flash Bangs + Smoke Grenades
What it is: PPB may also use flash bangs or smoke grenades, otherwise known as distraction devices. Flash bangs are loud and are used to disorient protestors, breaking the crowd into smaller groups for dispersal. Both flash bangs and smoke grenades are flammable and can cause injury if mishandled.
When they can use it at protests: Local, state and federal directives do not outline when flash bangs and smoke grenades can be used at protests.
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This article appears in July 16, 2025.