Category Public Safety
Marion County DA dismisses all charges related to protests
Protesters head home after a vigil in downtown Salem in late May. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) The Marion County District Attorney’s Office on Monday dismissed criminal charges against 14 people arrested during protests a month ago. Deputy District Attorney Amy Queen said attorneys did a full…
Joe Smothers wanted to present a firsthand account of a Salem protest. He ended up capturing a viral moment
Salem Police Sgt. Mike Johnson in a video talking with individuals holding rifles outside of a downtown business. The video, captured by Joe Smothers, has sparked controversy in Salem. (Twitter) Before he went to bed on Monday, June 1, Joe Smothers finished a Facebook Live…
VIDEO: Salem police chief addresses March for Floyd rally
Jerry Moore, Salem police chief, addresses protesters at the March for Floyd proceedings at the Capitol on Saturday, June 6. Moore was among the first speakers for an event that stretched on for hours. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Salem’s police chief on Saturday, June 6, addressed…
Salem police chief justifies different treatment for armed civilians downtown during curfew
As protesters left the rally and vigil on Monday, June 1, police were prepared for another night of disturbances. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Salem police are being accused of favoring armed individuals standing outside of a downtown salon while applying a heavy hand to protesters to…
Salem imposes weeklong overnight curfew to quell trouble, still allowing demonstrations
As protesters left the rally and vigil on Monday June 1, police were prepared for another night of disturbances. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) The city of Salem on Tuesday evening imposed an extraordinary week-long nighttime curfew across the city. The curfew is in place each night…
After three nights of curfew, questions arise about who’s being told to go home — and who’s actually going home
Boards cover broken glass doors at Salem Center on Sunday, May 31. Vandals broke the doors at the downtown shopping mall during a demonstration Saturday night. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Barely a week after Marion County residents were allowed to venture out after COVID-19-related restrictions were…
PHOTOS: Salem sees a third day of protests with candles, a march and officers taking a knee
Protester march against police violence on Monday June 1 in Salem. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) For the third day in a row, protesters hit the streets in Salem to speak out against police violence. Similar events have occurred across the country in response to George Floyd’s…
Live updates: Despite curfew, protesters again hit Salem streets
Sharaya Hamer, 16, a student at McNary High School was among hundreds who showed up to protest police violence on the steps of the state Capitol. (Kate McMahon/Salem Reporter) Protesters took to the streets in Salem for the third night in a row to speak…
With riots erupting across the country, Salem prepares for a third night of protests
Update: This story was updated to reflect that the Marion County District Attorney’s Office on June 29, 2020 dismissed criminal charges against all 14 people arrested during protests the previous month. Salem City Manager Steve Powers imposed a curfew as the Oregon’s second largest city prepares…