Justice Dept. says 18 people facing federal charges after Portland protests

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: The Hill

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Friday that 18 people are facing federal charges after several days of protests in Portland, Ore.

The DOJ said in court filings that the charges, stemming from demonstrations at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse, include assaulting a federal officer, creating a disturbance, trespassing on federal property, failing to comply with a lawful order, damaging government property, arson and more.

All defendants are believed to be local residents and range in age from 18-45. They’ve all made their first appearances in court and were ordered released pending jury trials or other follow-up court proceedings.

The charges come after several consecutive nights of protests have rocked the city. The protests were sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who died in Minneapolis in May when a white police officer pinned him down by his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/508993-justice-dept-says-18-people-facing-federal-charges-after-portland

[LiberalFighter]

1. May the Gestapo suffer a major life event.

[TeamPooka]

5. They are going to go through some things.

[bluestarone]

2. Somehow i DO NOT believe them!

If true, i bet they ALL get charges dropped.

[Hoyt]

8. Don't know about all, but most for sure. They've all been released.

[TomSlick]

3. I will be curious to see how a federal jury drawn from the area considers the charges.

DoJ is taking a risk with these charges.

[progressive nobody]

4. Here we go.

Rachel Maddow has Timothy Snyder on at the perfect time.

[marble falls]

6. This is where ACLU lawyers get this crap fixed.

[msongs]

7. notice they are police-created crimes, not actually crimes against the people nt

[LiberalFighter]

10. That should be a key.

Arresting peacekeepers when they are the ones committing crimes is wrong.

[iluvtennis]

12. +1. nt

[MichMan]

16. Arson and Damaging Government Property are police created?

[bluestarone]

9. If there is 18, i hope each and every one of them

Requested paperwork when they were released, showing who arrested them why were they arrested!

[Dan]

21. and trial by jury....

[groundloop]

11. How many years will the protester get who was arrested for dancing with flowers?

[yonder]

13. Failure to obey a lawful order, in particular, doesn't make sense to me.

If these federales are not credentialed with uniforms, badges, name tags, etc. as some sort of duly authorized agents of the "law", then there can be no failure to obey such non-entities, IMO. There can be no recognition of what a lawful order is or is not, and therefore no failure, if they remain unidentified as lawful agents.

No more so than if Bubba from down the street kits himself up with camo, firearms, armor and a sticker that says Police and then insists that you obey his commands.

I'm guessing that most of these "police" are not far removed from "Bubba from down the street."

[Ferrets are Cool]

14. Ive been making this very point since day one of this shit

How the hell is anyone supposed to know who the fuck is kidnapping them. It could very well be "Bubba" from down the street dressed up in that fucking garb. We already know they own this crap.

[DBoon]

24. Criminals do impersonate police officers to commit crimes

Tips for Protecting You from Law Enforcement Impersonators :

Those who impersonate police officers erode the public’s trust in law enforcement and may endanger unsuspecting people. There are several tips you can remember to protect yourself during a traffic stop while helping your police officers do their jobs.

•Make sure it is a marked police unit. If it is not a marked unit, the emergency lights should be built in and are usually not a temporary light placed on the vehicle.
•Try to stop in a well-lit area or a location where there are a lot of people present.
•Turn on your emergency flashers but don’t turn off your car.
•Do not get out of the vehicle to meet the officer. Officers usually don’t like this anyway.
•Lock your door.
•Look for a uniform, official department jacket, and other equipment used by police officers for the performance of their duties.
•If the officer is in plainclothes, look for identifying clothing and equipment. If unsure, explain to the “officer” that you are unsure about the situation and ask them to display official department identification and badge. Ask where they work and if you can contact their dispatch center to confirm their identity. You may also request a marked patrol unit respond.
•Pay attention to what they are asking. Most officers will advise you of the reason for the stop and request your driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance.
•If they immediately tell you to get out of the car without any preliminary questions, be suspicious.
•Trust your instincts. If they don’t seem to be a real police officer they are probably not.

from https://www.canbypolice.com/docs/police_impersonators.pdf with my emphasis

[Ferrets are Cool]

25. "Trust your instincts" My instincts and logic tell me that these goons are CRIMINALS

CRIMINALS with the backing of a corrupt White House.

[louzke9]

28. After They Grab You....

Off the street, thrown in to a van with a hood over your face, they haul you to a secret location and try to fish for information. You are detained for hours before being released. You end up back on the street as if nothing happened. Try suing them. You can't if there is no RECORD of your kidnaping. These kidnapers will simply deny they ever picked you up in the first place. No evidence of abusing their authority and no evidence of abuse to you under your CIVIL RIGHTS.

[Sherman A1]

22. +1

[BlueIdaho]

15. These cases will never see a courtroom

Defense attorneys will chew up the mercenaries on the witness stand. In the end - Barr, Trump, and each of these jackboot thugs will be disgraced for treating the constitution like toilet paper.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

17. Does anyone know why they're protesting at a Federal courthouse?

If the protest is against local police and for BLM, wouldn't it make more sense to raise hell at city hall and city police headquarters?

Looks like one way to completely neuter Trump's goons is to totally avoid federal property like the plague.

KY........

[BumRushDaShow]

23. This is exactly what I want to know as well

I can see maybe if early on, it was one stop for protest marches and something happened at that specific location that prompted an OTT response against marchers who briefly rallied there, and it escalated ever since. Or maybe if there was some specific case involving ICE/CBP/TSA/ATF?

But other than that, Portland is only 3.9% black and this thing at this particular courthouse, seems to have devolved into an anti-fed "stand their ground" thing.

[Steelrolled]

27. The people doing the vandalism and fighting the police

and not protesting. But they are happy to let the BLM protesters provide cover for them.

If the BLM movement had a national leader and a nationwide team of mature planners, it could be so much different.

[louzke9]

29. Well the TRUE Protesters....

Understand this. They usually go home before eleven. Those who are out later are agitators and anarchists who WANT A CONFRONTATION with law enforcement and and government. Young punks looking for trouble.

[mysteryowl]

18. The charges need to be against the SS storm troopers

[C Moon]

19. Trump: "Great job! That's eighteen less votes for Biden."

[usajumpedtheshark]

20. All that pain and cost for 18 arrests?

[Steelrolled]

32. All Trump wants is material for more commercials.

He will be using this to claim he had to take care of the anarchists in Portland because the city wouldn't. I noticed he claims that Biden supports defunding the police, which Biden never did.

edit for typo.

[Steelrolled]

26. Jury trials will be interesting

I don't necessarily expect sympathetic juries. These people are not being charged with participating in a BLM protest. They are being charge with the crap you see on the news every night. If there is video, it won't go well for them.

[louzke9]

30. Jury Trials?

Most of the charges listed under/for these arrests don't generate jury trials. Most of the charges just require appearance before a Judge who will conduct a trial, consider the merits of the arrest, the merits of the defendant's defense (usually with a lawyer or court appointed lawyer) and then Judge rules on the defendant's guilt or innocent. Most of the charges are minor criminal offenses generating a fine and maybe some minor jail time. A major crime of Arson or assaulting a federal employee or law enforcement might generate a jury trial if the defendant asks for one.

[Steelrolled]

31. The article mentioned jury trials, as well as "other follow-up court proceedings"

What you said makes sense - only major offenses would get jury trials.

My point was I wouldn't count on a jury to be sympathetic.

[W T F]

33. "We the jury find the defendants NOT GUILT on all counts your honor."