Feds Vowed to Quell Unrest in Portland. Local Leaders Are Telling Them to Leave.
PORTLAND, Ore. — For weeks, police officers on the streets of Portland, Ore., have tried to subdue a persistent group of protesters by shooting tear gas canisters and making arrests — each by the dozens.
This week, Portland’s law enforcement leaders have a new worry on the streets: their federal counterparts. Purportedly in town to help tamp down the unrest, the federal officers in camouflage and tactical gear have so far instead served to escalate tensions, rejuvenating a protest crowd that has been demanding a substantial overhaul to policing and an end to militarized tactics.
Since their arrival, federal officers have shot one protester in the head with an apparent impact munition, leaving the man with severe head injuries and producing the image of blood dripping on Portland’s streets. The officers have driven those streets in unmarked vans, at times seizing protesters, according to videos and interviews.
One of the people detained, Mark Pettibone, said in an interview that an unmarked vehicle stopped right in front of him around 2 a.m. on Wednesday and four people in camouflage jumped out. Given the lack of markings or identification, he had no idea who they were.
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