In a letter Monday to Attorney General William Barr and Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, the mayors called the administration’s intention to deploy federal forces against protesters an “abuse of power.”
The letter, signed by the mayors of Portland, Seattle, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, DC, Boston, Philadelphia, Denver, Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Tucson, Sacramento, Phoenix and Kansas City, Missiouri, calls on the administration to withdraw federal forces in the cities where they are currently deployed and stopping plans to send them elsewhere.
The letter says federal officials have used “significant force” against Portland protesters every night, accusing officers of “snatching” one person off the street and placing them in an unmarked vehicle and shooting another in the street. head with ammunition.
“These are tactics that we expect from authoritarian regimes, not our democracy,” the mayors wrote.
The letter noted that President Donald Trump threatened to send forces to “clean up” protesters in Seattle and to “clean up” Chicago. The letter also accused federal forces of using “extreme action” against protesters in Washington, DC, without the mayor’s approval.
“The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked an uprising and national recognition,” the letter said. “Most of the protests have been peaceful and aimed at improving our communities. If this is not the case, it still does not justify the use of federal forces. The unilateral deployment of these paramilitary forces in our cities is totally inconsistent with our system of democracy and our most basic values. “
The protests in Portland began after Floyd’s death in police custody. Protesters have also called for justice in the deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Elijah McClain and other black people.
But while the Black Lives Matter’s peaceful marches have taken place during the day, the protests sometimes turned into arson and vandalism in part of the city at night. The result has been injuries to civilians and police, vandalism, arson, and allegations of brutality.
In the past week, at least 40 protesters have been arrested on charges ranging from resisting arrest to disorderly conduct, according to press releases from the Portland Police Office.
CNN’s Brian Rokus, Hollie Silverman and Josh Campbell contributed to this report.
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