Portland Police Threaten To Arrest People Going Through Food Thrown Out By Grocery Store

Portland police officers threatened to arrest a group of people recovering food thrown out by a grocery store after a power outage Tuesday afternoon, NBC News reported.

A huge quantity of perishable food items were thrown out by the Hollywood West Fred Meyer grocery store in Portland, Oregon, NBC News reported. Around 20 people were initially arguing with store employees about taking the food items and refusing to leave the property before law enforcement responded to the incident, according to the Portland Police Bureau.

“An employee called back because they felt the situation was escalating and feared there may be a physical confrontation,” according to the Portland Police Bureau. Police responded and told the crowd that had grown to around 50 people to leave or risk arrest for trespassing on private property.

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A store employee told officials that the food was unfit for consumption and should not be donated because it had not been stored at proper temperatures, according to the Portland Police Bureau. Photographs and videos showed large bins full of meat, juice and dairy products, NBC News reported.

“Officers also tried to explain this to the group of people. No subject in the crowd was willing to have an open dialogue with the officers and continued to shout insults at them and store employee,” according to the Portland Police Bureau.

The incident lasted for around an hour and officers left, according to the Portland Police Bureau. Store employees said the crowd came back and threatened them, though the police would only return if there was a threat to life or serious injury.

No arrests were made, according to the Portland Police Bureau.