The Trump administration is in initial talks with the Oregon governor’s office to withdraw Portland federal officials who have been in the city since late June to protect its federal court, which has become a focal point for protests in Black Lives Matter, a senior White House official. he told The Associated Press.
The official stressed to the AP that the talks had barely started and that an agreement had not been reached.
The report came a day after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the US Marshals Service said they were both considering sending more agents to help officers who are already grounded in Portland.
Protesters and officers clashed once again Tuesday night, with officers using tear gas to disperse crowds and protesters launching fireworks near the courthouse.
There have been protests near the court since George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was killed in Minneapolis police custody in late May. Protests have often increased, causing damage to the court.
Damage to the courthouse is what caused the acting DHS secretary Chad WolfChad WolfACLU urges court to detain federal agents in Portland in contempt of Trump to review DACA, allow headlines to extend for one year Former DHS spokesman rips off presence of federal agents in Portland MORE to send federal officials. However, the presence of the officers has not stifled the ferocity of the demonstrations, but quite the contrary.
On Monday, Billy Williams, the United States Attorney for the Oregon District, said federal agents would be in Portland as long as necessary.
“It is not a solution to tell federal officials to leave when attacks on federal property and personnel continue. We are not leaving the building unprotected to be destroyed by people trying to do it, ”Williams said.
On the same day, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) and Oregon Governor Kate Brown (D) requested to meet with Wolf with the intention of negotiating a “ceasefire and elimination of Portland’s augmented federal forces.”
Despite the reported conversations, President Trump
Donald John TrumpBiden hits Trump’s ‘law and order’ message: he’s trying to ‘scare the devil’ out of people Pelosi hits Barr after testimony: ‘It was like a blot’ and Trump Schumer’s ‘henchman’: Trump should want COVID-19 deal to aid Republican election opportunities MORE praised the work of federal officials Tuesday.
“We, as you know, have done an excellent job of watching Portland and seeing our court where they wanted to set it on fire, they are anarchists, nothing less than anarchist agitators,” Trump said Tuesday. “And we have protected it very powerfully. And if we weren’t there, I’ll tell you, you wouldn’t have a court. You’d have a billion-dollar burning building.
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