Hundreds of Protestants in Portland who have been arrested in the past 80 days of demonstrations will not face prosecutors, Multnomah County District Attorney announced.
“The Protestants are angry … and deeply frustrated about what they see as structural inequality in our basic social fabric, and this frustration can escalate to levels that the law shines,” Schmidt said. “This policy recognizes that centuries of different treatment from our black and brown communities have left deep wounds and that the healing process will not be easy or rapid.”
The policy pits prosecutors against people who were arrested for interfering with a peace officer as an official and probation officer, harassment, crimes, crimes, escape, harassment and riot – unless they were accompanied by some other charge of physical violence or property damage.
Portland was rocked months after George Floyd’s death as protesters deciphered the use of force by police, especially against Black people. Floyd, an unarmed Black man, died in May at a Minneapolis police station; in a video, an official showed more than eight minutes kneeling on the neck.
Peaceful demonstrations in the city of Oregon fell into chaos when police and protesters clashed outside areas in the north and east of the city, the headquarters of the police union and a building that housed downtown police stations.
PORTLAND PROTESTS ARE IN ‘USUALLY QUIET NIGHTTIME STREETS’, REPORT SAYS
Some agitators have attacked officers, fired fireworks, eggs and other objects at police and fired lasers into their eyes. Officers, meanwhile, have used pepper spray and made sweeping arrests to disperse crowds.
President Trump sent federal officers to Portland in July to curb violence and protect federal property, a move that led to further unrest.
Agents from USCustoms and Border Protection, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the US Marshals Service were eventually ordered to leave the city after allegations that unidentified officers made unexplained arrests and without probable cause, claims now being investigated by the Department of Justice .
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell, who was told Friday about the policy change on Friday, slammed the new rules, saying they do not change Oregon law, insisting that people who do violent things or intentionally harm property must be held accountable.
“Committing a crime is different from demonstrating,” Lovell said in a statement. “The arrests we make often come after hours of damage to private property, disruption of public transit and traffic on public streets, theft of small businesses, arson, burglary, attacks on members of the community, and attacks on police officers. . “
Schmidt, the prosecutor, emphasized that the rules did not apply to anyone who had committed violence.
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“If you are there who are committing violence or damaging property, you will be prosecuted,” he said.
About 550 protest-related cases have been referred to Schmidt’s office since May 29, only 133 were criminals. More than 350 were crimes or offenses that did not involve claims of physical violence.
Schmidt acknowledged that the court system has been behind for almost two months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
