Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler tear-gassed alongside protesters by federal officers

[Judi Lynn]

Source: NBC News

Earlier in the night, Wheeler was jeered as he tried to rally demonstrators who have clashed nightly with federal agents but was briefly applauded when he shouted “Black Lives Matter” and pumped his fist in the air

By Gillian Flaccus • Published 8 mins ago • Updated 5 mins ago



Mayor Ted Wheeler speaks to people gathered in downtown Portland, Ore., Wednesday, July 22, 2020. Wheeler faced a hostile crowd of protesters, who screamed at and sharply questioned him as he tried to rally demonstrators who have clashed repeatedly with federal agents sent in by President Donald Trump to quell ongoing unrest in the city.


The mayor of Portland, Oregon, was tear gassed by the U.S. government late Wednesday as he stood at a fence guarding a federal courthouse during another night of protest against the presence of federal agents sent by President Donald Trump to quell unrest in the city.

Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, said it was the first time he’d been tear gassed and appeared slightly dazed and coughed as he put on a pair of goggles someone handed him. He didn't leave his spot at the front, however, and continued to take gas. Around Wheeler, the protest raged, with demonstrators lighting a large fire in the space between the fence and the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse and the pop-pop-pop of federal agents deploying tear gas and stun grenades into the crowd.

Earlier in the night, Wheeler was mostly jeered as he tried to rally demonstrators who have clashed nightly with federal agents but was briefly applauded when he shouted “Black Lives Matter” and pumped his fist in the air. The mayor has opposed federal agents’ presence in Oregon’s largest city, but he has faced harsh criticism from many sides and his presence wasn’t welcomed by many, who yelled and swore at him.

“I want to thank the thousands of you who have come out to oppose the Trump administration’s occupation of this city," Wheeler told hundreds of people gathered downtown near the federal courthouse. “The reason this is important is it is not just happening in Portland ... we're on the front line here in Portland.”

Read more: https://www.nbcboston.com/news/national-international/mayor-of-portland-oregon-tear-gassed-by-federal-agents-amid-protest/2164273/

[w0nderer]

1. K & R N/T

[Cha]

2. KR!

[denem]

3. People are righty skeptical of mere words.

However, after Ted Wheeler was teargassed, but continued to defend the line against Fed fascist thugs, I have no doubt protesters will support him, and accept that he telling them what he believed.

[McKim]

4. Wheeler is the Real Deal!

Wheeler is the real deal! We love our mayor. He is in a tight spot and he came out to take responsibility. It is doubtful that Portland Police would arrest the unidentified “Police” from Homeland Security. Our police have a horrible reputation. He came out to thank the crowds who stood up to this unlawful occupation. I am proud to vote for him today!

[BigmanPigman]

5. Why were they all pissed off at him,

didn't they believe the city police didn't invite the Fed Gestapo? I read that both sides contradicted each other's story....
"Evidence shows Portland police working with federal officers at protests, contradicting city officials"
https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2020/07/evidence-shows-portland-police-working-with-federal-officers-at-protests-contradicting-city-officials.html

[2naSalit]

6. What I thought happened

was that the police association had determined that working with the goons was the thing to do since it let them play soldierboy with real live humans to beat, and probably finger locals they couldn't arrest otherwise. The Police associations are the enemy and willfully work to undermine the authority of elected officials in order to continue their illegal behavior. So, of course, they would try to make it look like the mayor was playing with both sides to discredit him with the protesters. It's a pretzeled affair.

[BigmanPigman]

18. I see, thank you for explaining it to me.

[Polybius]

12. Many of the protesters don't think he's far enough to the Left

Go figure. He's plenty Left.

[Bayard]

7. Oh, that's a good idea

Jeer officials who are standing with you.

[McKim]

8. Love Our Mayor

I love our mayor. He has been through hell the last half year. He was out there early in the morning with citizens. Good for him!!!!!! The jeering crowd might have been the hard core types who stay late and then do damage to spoil the non violent protests. Moms and Dads were out there last night and the mayor too!!!!

Portlanders, I am starting a campaign to come downtown in the daytime and shop and get take home dinners to support our local businesses who have been hurt. We must do what we can to strengthen downtown.

[Grasswire2]

13. the "reactionary suburbanites" will never do that, but it's a good idea

My sister, in Beaverton, and my cousins in Milwaukie are freaking out. FOX watchers.

I keep asking them and others like them: "Do you live in Portland? How long has it been since you went downtown?" Ha. They call the protests "ruining our city" but they fled decades ago because of the taxes and "bums urinating on the street" downtown.

[Marthe48]

9. Grace under fire

Doing the right thing, even if its not popular.

I was accidentally tear gassed at a dorm party when I was in college. It was a light dose, but it was pretty bad. Getting a full dose over and over would be sickening.

Maybe the jackboot black shirts will breathe tear gas in hell.

[Rollo]

22. Back around '72 I got a whiff of gas on the UC Berkeley campus...

I was up the hill from Sproul Plaza where the fun was happening. What I remember most vividly was watching the sparrows in the trees and on the ground suddenly starting to freak out and do alarm calls, and they all vanished. Then I smelled the tear gas.

[SharonClark]

10. Question for Portlanders -

Are the protests still about BLM or have they become something else?

[Grasswire2]

14. not answerable at this time

they are about BLM and anti-fascism, I would say.

You can watch the live feed at night. Start about 10 p.m. and watch until 2 a.m. (pacific time)

Earlier, it will be more BLM. Later, in the wee hours, it will be BLM and taking a whack at The Man behind the fence around the federal building.

[swag]

21. It's a struggle, as with many protests, to keep focus

...what with all the self-aggrandizers, invading agendas, and bad faith actors, but a real and successful effort is being made to keep focus on BLM.

Also, here is a Twitter list of local journalists, activists, and other citizens that you some might find informative:

https://twitter.com/i/lists/1025842862003388417

[C Moon]

11. Great new leaders are cropping up across America...

while they protect the attempted destruction of our constitution by Trump/McConnell/Putin.
This will hurt the GOP for years to come.
They got waaaaaay to cuddly with Trump, even as he stepped all over our constitution.

[JonLP24]

15. More comments criticizing the protesters than the way police have been treating protestors

Police even teargassed medical supplies. Do we have freedom of speech or not?

I applaud the protesters. They were one of the first ones out on the streets when Trump won.

[regnaD kciN]

16. I take it he's not popular among the left in Portland...

...but he's miles above what we've got here in Seattle. If it was Jenny Durkan, she'd have shown up, made a pointless speech from a platform with a P.A. system, refused to go into the crowd or discuss concerns with protesters, then called in the riot police the second her limo turned the corner back home.

[Steelrolled]

17. How is Portland progressing on police reform?

I believe there was a plan announced a month or so ago, but haven't heard about what has actually been accomplished. Has there been open hearings, etc?

[Hip2bSquare]

19. Tear gas is no joke!

Years ago, in the Navy, we had a drill of being faced with tear gas. All of us in a small, dark room and then you see and hear the tear gas getting sprayed into the room. I remember it prickling my skin first and then it's over. Coughing, gagging, nose running, eyes crying and burning, lungs burning, all you want to do is get away. Over 30 years ago and I'll never forget it!

He went out there and faced head-on an extremely intense situation, something that orange coward would never do. I have never heard of Mayor Ted Wheeler before, but I have now, and he has my utmost respect! Fight the Power!

[swag]

20. Kind of difficult to take when this news gets nationalized and decontextualized.

Ted is also in charge of the Portland Police Department, whose officers have been gassing and beating Portland BLM protesters and journalists for a couple of months now.

[swag]

23. It's sad to see Wheeler made out to be a hero or a good leader.

Link to tweet