Unidentified Officers and Escalating Violence: What's Going On in Portland?

Protests against anti-Black racism and police brutality have taken a turn in recent days as the Trump administration deploys federal agents to intervene. Some cities have become battlegrounds for protestors’ constitutional rights in a clash between local government and federal intervention.

What’s Happening in Portland?

Portland residents had been protesting since the killing of George Floyd in May, and law enforcement’s use of tear gas and other crowd control measures against non-violent demonstrators (and even uninvolved residents) was causing more uproar in the city.

In early July, President Trump dispatched federal agents to Portland under an executive order intended to protect national monuments. Some residents saw this as an attempt to occupy their city and tamp down on their right to demonstrate, leading to a stand-off with officers outside a federal courthouse. Although the majority of protestors have been doing so peacefully, they’ve been met with pepper bullets, tear gas, and attacks -- even Portland’s mayor experienced it firsthand.

Some residents have been forcibly detained by federal officers into unmarked vehicles in areas beyond federal property and without cause -- a few have even been required to sign documents saying they’ll no longer attend protests in order to be released from jail. Constitutional experts are seeing this as a major overstep by the federal government, violating Americans’ constitutional rights to protest, rights against unreasonable search and seizures, and rights to due process.

These federal officers aren’t trained to handle mass civilian demonstrations. Among them are a tactical border patrol unit equivalent to a SWAT team, and their actions suggest a more militarized approach to policing that have lots of experts concerned.

What Has the Response Been?

Protesters aren’t backing down. If anything, the turnout has gotten larger since the agents arrived, and similar protests against the federal response are surging in other cities -- refueling the same demonstrations that they intended to stifle. Portland’s mayor, city commissioners, governor, and federal representatives have all spoken out against what’s happening.

What’s Being Done About It?

Oregon’s state attorney general tried suing the Trump administration for violating the constitutional rights of residents for their sporadic and unidentified arrests. A federal judge struck down the lawsuit, saying that only individuals affected, not the state of Oregon, had standing to sue -- so now residents are filing their own lawsuits. The Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General has also launched an investigation into the events in Portland.

Most recently, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf announced a plan negotiated with Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. Federal agents will no longer be stationed downtown, and local police will take their place at the courthouse. The forces will still remain in Portland monitoring the situation, and they won’t withdraw “until [they] are assured that the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other federal properties will no longer be attacked and that the seat of justice in Portland will remain secure.”

Where Else is This Happening?

Federal agents like the ones in Portland have already arrived in Seattle. Additionally, President Trump is deploying agents as a part of “Operation Legend,” a separate initiative intended for more “classic crime fighting.” Those agents are headed to Kansas City, Albuquerque, and Chicago -- though their mayors are fighting back against the decision, questioning the timing and motive of having federal presence in cities where protests continue. The Justice Department has also recently announced that they’re expanding federal police presence to Detroit, Cleveland, and Milwaukee as well.

Take Action:

• Support Portland protesters. Donate or encourage others to donate to help the Black Portland Youth Movement provide first aid, food, water, and other basic necessities while protesting. Also consider a donation to the Rosehip Medic Collective, a group of trained volunteer street medics caring for protesters in Portland.
• Safely attend a protest. If there’s a protest happening in your area, take steps to do so safely. Read and share this guide to protecting yourself and those around you during a protest in a pandemic.