Oregon’s U.S. senators and 2 agents demanded an examination Friday into “paramilitary attacks” in Portland by Department of Homeland Security forces that the legislators state have actually gotten into the city and are taking protesters off the streets in unmarked vans
The shocked, upset reactions followed reports earlier today that soldiers in military fatigues with “cops” spots and no other obvious recognition got and apprehended anti-racism protesters in Portland. The squads– which were dispatched by DHS– have been manhandling protesters because a minimum of Tuesday, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. It’s unclear why Portland was targeted by the DHS crackdown.
Sen. Ron Wyden(D-Ore.) blasted the “paramilitary assaults” by an “inhabiting army.”
It’s “painfully clear this administration is focused simply on intensifying violence without answering my duplicated ask for why this expeditionary force is in Portland and under what constitutional authority,” he said in a declaration from members of Oregon’s congressional delegation demanding an examination. “The Office of Inspector General need to investigate Trump’s assault on Americans’ civil liberties now.”
Fellow Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley implicated Homeland Security and the Justice Department of taking part in “acts that are dreadful and outrageous in our constitutional democratic republic.”
UPDATE: Members of our Oregon Congressional delegation simply announced that we are requiring an immediate Inspector General investigation into the violent actions of unrequested federal law enforcement authorities here in Portland.
We require responses NOW.
— Earl Blumenauer (@repblumenauer) July 17, 2020
Grabbing serene protesters off the streets of Portland and putting them in unmarked cars to apprehend them is unconscionable and terrifying. It is not de-escalation, it is not the Oregon method, and it should stop. https://t.co/fg5tg9573 h
— Suzanne Bonamici (@RepBonamici) July 16, 2020
For her part, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) knocked the teams