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Oregon Senator Ron Wyden warned that the US presidential election could be held under martial law after federal police officers clashed with protesters during the 54th night of protests in the largest city in his state.
Speaking at the Senate intelligence committee hearing on Wednesday, Wyden said Portland had been “invaded by the militarized police.”
“If the line is not drawn in the sand right now, the United States could be looking at the barrel of martial law in the midst of a presidential election,” Wyden said.
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Donald Trump said Monday that he was analyzing the deployment of federal agents in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and other US cities led by the “radical left” experiencing an increase in violent crime.
“Portland was totally out of control. The Democrats, the Liberal Democrats who ran the place, had no idea what they were doing. They were tearing apart, for 51 days, destroying that city. Destroying the city. Sacking it,” Trump said.
Officers from the United States Border Customs Protection and Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) were deployed to Portland apparently to defend federal buildings. The agency claims that the protesters are armed with slings, fireworks, lasers, baseball bats, metal tubes, glass bottles, and other makeshift weapons.
Since July 4, there have been 43 federal arrests in Portland by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the US Marshals and other federal law enforcement agencies, acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf said.
When asked if more officers would be dispatched across the country as the president indicated, Wolf said Tuesday that his department would maintain its existing presence in major cities across the country and increase if necessary, but that was a different mission. of what was happening. in Portland
“Portland, which is unique. Violent anarchists in Portland versus normal criminal activity in the city, gang behavior, by criminal elements across the country. Those are two different things. The President can certainly ask the White House and others, that’s what he was referring to, “Wolf said.
At an open hearing Wednesday in the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Mr. Wyden asked Justice Department nomination Patrick Hovakimian if the federal government’s actions in Portland were legal.
Hovakimian said that freedom of expression and free assembly were sacrosanct, and that it was a fundamental principle that neither the police nor the intelligence community should target or monitor Americans protected under the first amendment.
“Peaceful protest is one thing and violence is another,” said Hovakimian.
Wyden said the federal government’s presence in Portland was unconstitutional and that the law should not be used as a smokescreen to justify an invasion of objections by local officials.
The deputy director of operations of the Federal Protection Service, Richard Cline, said that they have legal authority under title 40, section 1315 of the United States Code, to carry out investigations on and off federal property based on alleged crimes that occur in federal property.
“Since May 28 … we have observed more than 425 protests and 260 attacks on federal facilities across the country. These attacks include bullets fired at federal facilities, arson and objects thrown through windows,” Cline said.
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