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Photos: Federal Forces Clash With Demonstrators in Portland Photos: Federal Forces Clash With Demonstrators in Portland
(1 day later)
PORTLAND, Ore. — Conflicts between law enforcement and protesters intensified Monday night after the Trump administration deployed federal forces from an array of agencies to crack down on demonstrations, which began in response to the killing of George Floyd, and have extended for 54 consecutive days. PORTLAND, Ore. — Federal agents fired tear gas outside the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in downtown Portland again on Tuesday night, as clashes between federal law enforcement agents and protesters, which have intensified in the past week, continued.
Federal agents used tear gas and fired munitions on protesters outside the U.S. District Court building in the early hours on Tuesday, after thousands had gathered at the nearby Multnomah County Justice Center on Monday night. On Tuesday night, which marked 55 consecutive days of demonstrations in the city, protesters pried parts of the building away and, at one point, a fire broke out on the facade, before law enforcement officers chased them away.
President Trump has sought to portray the city as lawless, and filled with “anarchists and agitators.” The protests have led to some cases of property damage, and on Tuesday morning, the police reported that a jewelry store had been looted. In recent days, though, demonstrations have brought together a wide variety of protesters. Customs and Border Protection confirmed that three paramilitary-style units had been deployed in Portland to combat the protests, which have brought together an unlikely cohort that includes self-proclaimed “moms,” alongside veteran protesters. Though many protesters have acted peacefully, in recent days some have exhibited unlawful behaviors, like throwing cans and bottles, shooting fireworks and pointing lasers at officers, which federal officials have cited to justify their crackdown.
Luis Enrique Marquez, a self-described anti-fascist who has been a fixture at protests in Portland for years, said, “With every act of violence they commit, our numbers seem to grow, people seem to get more angry.” The acting secretary of homeland security, Chad Wolf, defended the actions, claiming agents were acting lawfully. “We are only targeting and arresting those who have been identified as committing crime,” he said at a news conference on Tuesday.“They are not Gestapo as described.”