Sam Dorman
Fox NewsWed, 29 Jul 2020 00:00 UTC
© Reuters/Caitlin OchsFederal law enforcement officers in Portland, Oregon
The city of
Portland, Ore. is fining the federal government $500 for every 15 minutes it maintains unpermitted fencing outside of the federal courthouse that has faced nightly attacks amid ongoing protests and rioting.
City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly said
in a statement Tuesday that
the fencing is obstructing the street outside of the courthouse. As of Monday, she said,
the federal government owed Portland $192,000."We intend to collect," said Eudaly, who added that she was
"committed to doing everything in my power to end this federal occupation and move forward with our community's reckoning with racial injustice and our efforts to transform our approach to policing and public safety."
Last week, the
Portland Bureau of Transportation, which Eudaly is in charge of,
sent a cease-and-desist letter demanding that the federal government take down the fence, which was erected on Wednesday and appeared to act as a barrier between federal agents and demonstrators throwing projectiles.
In her statement, Eudaly said the city had received no response to its letter.
"We are assessing the maximum fine of $500 for every 15 minutes the fence obstructs our street, and we are investigating other legal remedies available to us. Typically, we would send a maintenance crew or contractor to remove such an obstruction, but I will not send workers into harm's way.
"Yes, I am afraid to direct workers to do their job and enforce our laws against the federal government โ I hope that gives everyone reading this pause."
Eudaly also suggested that the federal government
was overreacting to "a few" violent demonstrators.
"Each and every one of you has a constitutional right to exercise your freedom of speech and to peacefully assemble. The actions of a few should not negate these rights, and the response of law enforcement should be proportional to the infractions. Indiscriminately tear-gassing and firing impact munitions at thousands of peaceful protesters is not a proportionate response."
Eudaly has been a prominent part of the chorus of criticism of federal agents by Portland politicians. Last week, she accused the Trump administration of:
"violating the constitutional rights of Portlanders ... attempting to use Portland as a proving ground for fascism, and ... plan[ning] to invade cities across the country, cities that are political targets of the president."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which is leading the federal response in Portland, did not immediately provide comment for this story.
Comment: Perhaps it comes down to 'what the rioters actually do' to indicate in how massively destructive the potential of their actions and the level of jeopardy for all concerned - versus a city's inability and unwillingness to self-correct a potentially deadly and ongoing situation it then appropriates for political assassination:
Oregon's governor claims she reached a deal with the Trump administration that will see a withdrawal of federal agents that were sent to Portland after a courthouse was attacked, but DHS says they are staying until violence stops.
"After discussions with the vice president and administration officials this week, the federal government has agreed to my demand and will withdraw these officers from Portland," Oregon's Governor Kate Brown said.
Part of the agreement will involve state troopers providing protection for federal buildings like the Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse, which is where federal agents had been deployed after protesters attempted to burn it down, she added.
In her announcement, Brown called the federal authorities an "occupying force" and claimed they "brought violence" to the city, despite the fact that they were only deployed in the first place because protests had turned to rioting and damage to federal property.
Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf announced in his own statement about the agreement that there will be a "robust presence" of Oregon State Police in downtown Portland to ensure federal buildings and law enforcement officers do not become the targets of Black Lives Matter protesters.
"The violent criminal activity directed towards federal properties and law enforcement will not be tolerated, state and local leaders must step forward and police their communities," Wolf said, warning that the Department of Homeland Security will not tolerate such "criminal behavior."
In later tweets, Wolf clarified that federal agents will not be leaving until they know local authorities can properly protect law enforcement officers and federal property.
"We will maintain our current, augmented federal law enforcement personnel in Portland until we are assured that the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other federal properties will no longer be attacked and that the seat of justice in Portland will remain secure."
Wolf also said he is glad Oregon is "correcting their months-long error."
Hours before Brown's announcement, President Donald Trump told the press at the White House that federal agents would not be leaving "until they secure their city" and warned that if it was not "secure soon," the federal government will have no choice but to "go in and clean it out."
The president later doubled down on these thoughts in tweets claiming "there would be no Portland" if the federal government had not stepped in, and they will do so again if Brown and Portland's mayor, Ted Wheeler, "do not stop the crime and violence."
This comes less than a day after Attorney General William Barr's tense hearing in front of the House Judiciary Committee, where several Democrats questioned Barr's decision to deploy federal authorities to the city of Portland, accusing agents of excessive force and of violating the rights of demonstrators.
What this all shows is the lack in comprehension for riot capability and what safeguards might be needed to limit destruction and ensure non-violence. Whether Portland had a plan, or not - it appropriated and aggrandized the situation for political leverage and blackmail. Priorities.
Comment: Perhaps it comes down to 'what the rioters actually do' to indicate in how massively destructive the potential of their actions and the level of jeopardy for all concerned - versus a city's inability and unwillingness to self-correct a potentially deadly and ongoing situation it then appropriates for political assassination: What this all shows is the lack in comprehension for riot capability and what safeguards might be needed to limit destruction and ensure non-violence. Whether Portland had a plan, or not - it appropriated and aggrandized the situation for political leverage and blackmail. Priorities.