2020-08-23   

Following the killing of George Floyd by police on May 25, 2020, the United States erupted in protest.  In cities large and small, people demonstrated for racial justice and protested against police brutality targeted at racial minorities, particularly at African Americans.   

Portland has been one of the cities whose ongoing protests have made national and global headlines.  Day after day, week after week, hundreds of people have been demonstrating in different parts of the city,  Most of the protests have been peaceful, but there have also been violent clashes between demonstrators and police and counter-protesters.  Even though the great majority of protesters are opposed to the use of violence, there have been looting and vandalism, as well as the use of tear gas and weapons by law enforcement.

Early in July, President Trump and his administration deployed federal law enforcement officers to Portland, with the stated purpose of protecting federal property.  However, it quickly became evident that these federal agents were not only engaged in preventing attacks on federal buildings.  The agents, who were not clearly identified and moved around in unmarked vehicles, were often violent, terrorizing peaceful demonstrators and even grabbing protesters off the streets.  Following widespread outrage over the tactics they used, the Trump administration pulled back the federal forces at the beginning of August.

The protests in Portland continue.