There are unknown federal agent officers that have been sent to Portland and are terrorizing peaceful protesters. One male protestor has been severely injured after being shot in the head with a “less-lethal” round by a federal agent. Federal agents have also been kidnapping protestors and throwing them into minivans.
Unknown officers have been deployed around the country to maintain Black Lives Matter protests. But things took a turn for the worse after a Portland resident was shot in the head with a “less-than-lethal” munition by a federal agent. “We’ve done a great job in Portland,” Trump said on Monday after the tragic weekend. “Portland was totally out of control, and they went in, and I guess we have many people right now in jail. We very much quelled it, and if it starts again, we’ll quell it again very easily. It’s not hard to do if you know what you’re doing.”
These unknown agents consist of four federal law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Marshals, Federal Protective Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations, who specifically rotated officers in and out of Portland starting earlier in July. There is no information on how the agents are supposed to be helping protests, as reports show the officers have actually been antagonizing demonstrators and initiating physical altercations. KGW 8 reports that plain-clothed federal agents have also been managing crowds.
KGW8 reports that the agents have been assigned to protect federal property and personnel in downtown Portland including the Mark. O Hatfield federal courthouse, Pioneer Courthouse, the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building, and Terry Schrunk Plaza. The federal law enforcement officers are instructed to comply with agency protocol and standards for use of force. However, reports show the agents have made several brutal arrests and voluntarily attacked crowds of people. “They’re not protesters- they’re just lawless actors,” said  Billy Williams, U.S. Attorney for Oregon.
In addition, protestors also say they were kidnapped by federal agents and thrown into minivans. According to Vice Media, 13 protestors were charged with crimes by federal police. Some demonstrators were arrested and released. “I am basically tossed into the van. And I had my beanie pulled over my face so I couldn’t see, and they held my hands over my head,” said Mark Pettibone. The U.S. Marshalls denied arresting or detaining people. Pettibone and his companion Conner O’Shea told Oregon Public Broadcasting that they were walking home after a calm night of protesting when a minivan pulled up in front of them. “I see guys in camo,” O’Shea. “Four or five of them pop out, open the door, and it was just like, ‘Oh shit. I don’t know who you are or what you want with us.'”
In response to the man who was shot and the federal agents’ actions this past weekend, Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a statement that the agents “escalated” the situation. “A person was seriously injured in Portland last night. This should not have happened. I spoke with U.S. Attorney Bill Williams about the injuries and learned that the U.S. Marshals Service will be conducting a full investigation. I am calling on the federal government to be thorough and transparent with their findings. I’m concerned that the actions of federal officers last night escalated, rather than de-escalated, already heightened tensions in our city,” said Wheeler.
Four Oregon federal lawmakers also responded to the weekend events in a letter condemning federal agents. “This politically driven federal response is intolerable,” wrote U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Earl Blumenauer. “The apparent lack of operational coordination between agencies, departments, and offices, and the violence perpetrated by federal personnel is particularly concerning.” The legislators wrote the letter to U.S. Attorney William Barr and acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf on Tuesday.
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