Portland unrest calm after feds draw down
PORTLAND, Ore. — Leaders in Portland caught their breath and moved forward with cautious optimism Friday after the first nightly protest in weeks ended without any major confrontations, violence or arrests.
The dramatic change in tone outside a federal courthouse that’s become ground zero in clashes between demonstrators and federal agents came after the U.S. government began drawing down its forces in the liberal city under a deal between Democratic Gov. Kate Brown and the Trump administration.
As agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement pulled back, troopers with the Oregon State Police took over. There were no visible signs of any law enforcement presence outside the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse, where a protest lasted into early Friday.
“Last night, the world was watching Portland. Here’s what they saw: Federal troops left downtown. Local officials protected free speech. And Oregonians spoke out for Black Lives Matter, racial justice and police accountability through peaceful, non-violent protest,” Brown said in a tweet Friday.
Mayor Ted Wheeler also struck an optimistic tone but cautioned that there was much work to be done after more than 60 days of protests — and not just in cleaning up downtown Portland.
Leaders in Oregon are pushing for measures that would address systemic racism in everything from policing to housing. Those proposals could be fast-tracked in a special legislative session.
The governor also announced the creation of a Racial Justice Council to advise her on criminal justice reform and police accountability, health equity, economic opportunity, housing and homelessness, and environmental justice.
A majority of the group’s members will be people of color.
The scene outside the federal courthouse stood in sharp contrast to the violent clashes between protesters and the agents that President Donald Trump sent to Oregon’s largest city in early July. Protests have roiled Portland for more than two months following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
But at the protest that began Thursday night, there was little violence and few signs of confrontation.
A handful of protesters pointed lights and lasers at the building, but state troopers remained inside and did not respond. Soon afterward, hundreds of demonstrators gathered about a block from the courthouse to listen to speeches. The mood remained calm into early Friday as the crowd dwindled to about 500.
In preparation for the handover, the local sheriff and Portland police agreed not to use tear gas except in situations with a threat of serious injury or death, the mayor said.