The Latest: Portland protest organizer decries vandalism

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Latest on Trump protests nationwide (all times local):

9:20 a.m.

An organizer of Portland, Oregon’s anti-Donald Trump protest distanced himself from the demonstration that left downtown scrawled with graffiti and shattered glass.

Portland Resistance spokesman Gregory McKelvey says the activist group hoped to provide a constructive outlet for the shared fear, anger and frustration that followed Tuesday’s election. He says the vandalism late Thursday had nothing to do with his group.

Video shows it was largely committed by young men with masks partially covering their faces.

Police described them as anarchists who ignored the calls of peaceful protesters to stop destroying property. More than two dozen people were arrested.

McKelvey apologized to businesses that were damaged. He said the group planned to help clean up and raise money for repairs. A rally for healing has been scheduled for Friday afternoon.

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8:30 a.m.

Police arrested at least 11 people during anti-Donald Trump protests that spilled into the streets of downtown Oakland for a third straight night.

Police say protesters lit fires on streets and in trash cans, smashed windows and sprayed graffiti on at least seven businesses Thursday night.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/2fVFPoj ) that officers in riot gear stood across sections of a street, trying to limit the crowd’s access to the city’s central business district.

By 11 p.m., most protesters had returned to the plaza in front of City Hall, where they chanted against Trump’s election and police. They numbered a few hundred, down from about 1,000 who attended an initial rally earlier in the day.

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8:30 a.m.

Los Angeles police say they arrested about 185 people protesting Donald Trump’s election, mostly for blocking streets.

Thursday night’s protest was mostly peaceful, but some demonstrators briefly shut down highways and caused property damage.

Officer Norma Eisenman said the only serious incident involved an injury to an officer near police headquarters. A person was arrested for that, but Eisenman had no details. The officer was treated and released.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a Democrat, condemned what he called a “very, very small group of people” that damaged property or blocked traffic but said he was proud of the thousands more that peacefully protested.

Juveniles were cited for curfew violations.