(WILLAMETTE WEEK) The Portland Police Bureau announced on Thursday that the city will take down the 120-year-old Thompson Elk statue between Lownsdale and Chapman squares, across the street from the Multnomah County Justice Center, because protesters damaged its structure by setting it on fire.
On July 1, protesters lit fires at the base of the statue, police say. The Regional Arts & Culture Council determined the damage to the base so severe that the statue might topple over and injure someone.
“Engaging in criminal activity including vandalism and property damage is not peaceful demonstration,” Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said in a statement. “We ask for the public’s help in identifying and sharing information about those responsible so they can be held accountable.”
