Inside the occupied Millar Library on PSU campus
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Those who occupied Millar Library on the Portland State University campus caused damage and destruction documented by KOIN 6 News.
The library was broken into and occupied by the protesters Monday evening. Late Monday night, PSU officials along with Portland leaders and police said the protest had morphed from "free speech" into "criminal behavior" and told the occupiers to leave or face arrest.
On Tuesday evening, KOIN 6 News reporter Elise Haas got inside the library that had been occupied for 24 hours and took the photos below.
Vandalism — including graffiti, broken glass and smashed computers — could be seen throughout the library. Damage could be seen on every floor of the library, though most people were on the first floor Tuesday night. The books in the library appeared to be untouched.
Outside the library, the crowd of people had grown over the course of the past day to about 100 people. There were also people participating in an open mic night outside. By 11 p.m., police drones could be seen flying overhead.
The protestors who spoke with KOIN 6 News said they were there collectively but cited individual reasons for being there. They told KOIN 6 they have no plans of leaving in the immediate future.
KOIN 6 reporter Elise Haas said the protestors were kind and respectful when speaking with her, though they said they would only allow photos to be taken if there weren't any faces in the images.
The school remained closed through Tuesday and the PSU Board of Trustees held an emergency meeting which functioned as an executive session – meaning reporters could listen but not report specifics about what was said.
KOIN 6 News will have more information as it develops.