As the Portland Trail Blazers prepare to play their season at Disney World, star Damian Lillard spoke Wednesday about the protests in his country.
Specifically, Lillard disagreed with the federal response that has made headlines in recent days, with heavily armed officers from the Department of Homeland Security who have increased tensions between protesters and police.
Speaking to the media, Lillard said he had only recently seen a video of troops transporting individual protesters in unmarked trucks. She called such actions a “disturbing” and “unnecessary” response to peaceful protesters.
Full comment by @Dame_Lillard on the clashes between protesters and federal troops / police in Portland … pic.twitter.com/8mRavtPYsb
– Casey Holdahl (@CHold) July 23, 2020
Blazers coach Terry Stotts also told reporters that he expects the troops to be withdrawn, which local leaders have requested.
This is what Terry Stotts said about the Portland protests and the federal response … pic.twitter.com/xioUXURZWz
– Casey Holdahl (@CHold) July 23, 2020
Lillard and Stotts are not the only local figures to denounce the federal response to the protests. Both Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Oregon Governor Kate Brown have criticized the troop presence, as have many other local leaders.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of federal troops in other cities.
Damian Lillard called the actions of the federal police in Portland a “disturbing” and “unnecessary” response to peaceful protesters. (Alika Jenner / Getty Images)
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