Man who threw flares during May Day protest gets 5 years

A 23-year-old man who threw flares into a Target store and a police car during May 1 protests that overran downtown Portland was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison.

Damion Zachary Feller offered no statements, but members of his family who sat in the gallery of the courtroom called out a message to him: “Please learn. We love you very much. And please learn.”

Feller pleaded guilty in September in Multnomah County Circuit Court to first-degree arson, second-degree arson, riot and first-degree criminal mischief.

The case against Feller was strong: A local TV station aired live footage of him hurling a flare through a shattered picture window at Target, prompting employees to run with fire extinguishers to put out a burning section of carpet. TV and cellphone cameras also caught Feller throwing a flare through the shattered window of a battered police SUV parked across the street from Target, at Southwest 10th Avenue and Morrison.

Other people clad all in black or wearing masks can be seen on the videos kicking or whacking windows of the police car seconds before Feller swoops in with the flares.

Police identified Feller as among a group of unruly people who descended on downtown as peaceful May Day protesters spoke about a variety of social issues. Officers arrested 25 people that day for vandalizing property, setting fires, throwing rocks and other violence.

Although the amount Feller will have to pay in restitution hasn’t been finalized, investigators believe it will be about $12,000.

Feller also was charged in federal court, but he will receive no more prison time as part of a global plea deal.