Portland Rioters breach fence; police declare riot

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Authorities declared a riot early Sunday in Portland, Oregon, where rioters breached a fence surrounding the city’s federal courthouse building where U.S. agents have been stationed.

Police described via Twitter the “violent conduct of people downtown” as creating a “grave risk of public alarm.” Police demanded people leave the area surrounding the courthouse, around 1:20 a.m. Sunday, and said that those who fail to adhere may be arrested or subjection to teargas and impact weapons.

By 1:40 p.m., both federal officers and Portland police could be seen on the streets, surrounding the courthouse, attempting to clear the area and deploying teargas.

In the hours leading up to the declared riot, thousands of people gathered in the city Saturday evening for another night of protests as demonstrations over George Floyd’s killing and the presence of federal agents sent by President Donald Trump showed no signs of abating.

Crowds began to march toward the city’s federal courthouse around 9:15 p.m., some marching from 5 miles (8 kilometers) away. A big group of demonstrators in the North Portland neighborhood also paraded by the police precinct there, which was roped off and had officers in riot gear standing outside the building.

They paused outside a downtown hotel, where federal agents are staying, chanting “Feds go home” and yelling the names of Black people killed by police.

As protesters marched down the streets, the Portland Police Bureau posted on social media for people to not walk or block the street as they may be subject to charges such as disorderly conduct and interfering with peace officers.

Hundreds of others crossed the Steel Bridge around 11 p.m. to the courthouse, meeting up with thousands of people that had already been tear-gassed by federal agents.

The fence surrounding the building had flowers and banners draped across as federal agents emerged from the courthouse to inspect it. They were met with fireworks shot over the fence.

Federal agents tossed canisters of teargas at the crowd, while people ran towards the plumes, picked up some of the canisters and threw them back over the fence.

As some rioters attempted to cut the fence using power tools, streams of pepper spray were spewed at the crowd.

At the nearby Justice Center, images and words were projected onto the building including “Keep fighting. Keep pushing.”

During demonstrations the previous night federal agents repeatedly fired tear gas to break up rowdy protests that continued into the early morning Saturday. Authorities say six federal officers were injured and one person was arrested.

Demonstrations have happened in Oregon’s largest city nightly for two months since Floyd was killed in Minneapolis in May. Trump said he sent federal agents to Portland to halt the unrest but state and local officials say they are making the situation worse.

There were demonstrations for police reform and against the increased presence of federal law enforcement in cities across the country Saturday. In Seattle, police declared a riot Saturday afternoon following large demonstrations and deployed flash bangs and pepper spray to try to clear crowds. Authorities made more than 40 arrests said 21 officers suffered mostly minor injuries.

Chuck Lovell, the Portland police chief, released a video message on social media Saturday night calling for peace.

“Across the country people are committing violence, supposedly in support of Portland,” Lovell said. “If you want to support Portland then stop the violence, work for peace. Portland police officers and police facilities have been threatened.

“Now more than ever, Portland police need your support. We want to be with you in the community and working on the real relationships that will create change. We want to get back to the critical issues that have been hijacked by people committing crimes under the cover of the crowds.”

Late Friday, a federal judge denied a request by Oregon’s attorney general to restrict the actions of federal police.

The Federal Protective Service had declared the gathering in Portland that began Friday evening an unlawful assembly. Harry Fones, a Homeland Security spokesman, said at a news conference Saturday afternoon some people launched large fireworks, threw hard projectiles and used power tools to damage property.

Craig Gabriel, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, said at the news conference that of the six federal officers who were injured, one suffered a concussion and another was taken to the hospital for burns.

He said one person was arrested for failing to comply with orders. That person was later released without charges, bringing the total number of people arrested on or near the courthouse property since early July to 60.

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Cline reported from Salem. Cline is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.

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Portland Mayor Cartoons

Federal agents use tear gas to clear Portland Rioters

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Thousands of rioters gathered outside the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, into the early hours of Saturday shooting fireworks at the building as plumes of tear gas, dispensed by U.S. agents, lingered above.

The demonstration went on for hours until federal agents entered the crowd around 2:30 a.m. and marched in a line down the street, clearing remaining protesters with tear gas at close range. They also extinguished a large fire in the street outside the courthouse.

The Federal Protective Service had declared the gathering as “an unlawful assembly” and cited that officers had been injured.

By 3 a.m., most demonstrators had left with with only some small groups roaming the streets.

Earlier Friday night, the protest had drawn various organized groups, including Healthcare Workers Protest, Teachers against Tyrants, Lawyers for Black Lives and the “Wall of Moms.” As the crowd grew, people were heard chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “Feds go home” to the sound of drums.

Later, protesters vigorously shook the fence surrounding the courthouse, shot fireworks towards the building and threw glass bottles. Many times these actions were met by federal agents using tear gas and flash bangs.

The flow of tear gas caused Rioters to disperse at times, some becoming sick as others remaining towards the front of the courthouse with leaf blowers directing the gas back to the courthouse. Federal agents had leaf blowers of their own to counteract.

Daniel Pereyo was one Rioter who was tear-gassed.

Pereyo said he had been at the nearby park watching drummers and fireworks being shot, when his face and eyes began to burn.

“It’s extremely painful,” he said. “It’s not the worst pain ever, but it is discomforting and it’s distracting.”

As the clouds of gas floated down the street, protesters would swiftly regroup and return to chant and shake the fence that separates the people on the street from federal agents and the courthouse.

It was unclear whether anyone was arrested during the protest. The federal agents, deployed by President Donald Trump to tamp down the unrest, have arrested dozens during nightly demonstrations against racial injustice that often turn violent.

Democratic leaders in Oregon say federal intervention has worsened the two-month crisis, and the state attorney general sued to allege that some people had been whisked off the streets in unmarked vehicles.

U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman said the state lacked standing to sue on behalf of Rioters because the lawsuit was a “highly unusual one with a particular set of rules.”

Oregon was seeking a restraining order on behalf of its residents not for injuries that had already happened but to prevent injuries by federal officers in the future. That combination makes the standard for granting such a motion very narrow, and the state did not prove it had standing in the case, Mosman wrote.

Legal experts who reviewed the case before the decision warned that the judge could reject it on those grounds. A lawsuit from a person accusing federal agents of violating their rights to free speech or against unconstitutional search and seizure would have a much higher chance of success, Michael Dorf, a constitutional law professor at Cornell University, said ahead of the ruling.

“The federal government acted in violation of those individuals’ rights and probably acted in violation of the Constitution in the sense of exercising powers that are reserved to the states, but just because the federal government acts in ways that overstep its authority doesn’t mean the state has an injury,” he said.

The lawsuit from Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum accused federal agents of arresting protesters (Rioters)without probable cause and using excessive force. She sought a temporary restraining order to “immediately stop federal authorities from unlawfully detaining Oregonians.”

David Morrell, an attorney for the U.S. government, called the motion “extraordinary” and told the judge in a hearing this week that it was based solely on “a few threadbare declarations” from witnesses and a Twitter video. Morrell called the protests “dangerous and volatile.”

Rosenblum said the ramifications of the ruling were “extremely troubling.”

“Individuals mistreated by these federal agents can sue for damages, but they can’t get a judge to restrain this unlawful conduct more generally,” Rosenblum said in a statement.

The clashes in Portland have further inflamed the nation’s political tensions and triggered a crisis over the limits of federal power as Trump moves to send U.S. officers to other Democratic-led cities to combat crime. It’s playing out as Trump pushes a new “law and order” reelection strategy after the coronavirus crashed the economy.

Before the federal intervention, Mayor Ted Wheeler and other local leaders had said a small cadre of violent activists were drowning out the message of peaceful protesters. But the Democrat, who was tear-gassed this week as he joined protesters, says the federal presence is exacerbating a tense situation and he’s repeatedly told them to leave.

Homeland Security acting Secretary Chad Wolf denied that federal agents were inflaming the situation in Portland and said Wheeler legitimized criminality by joining demonstrators, whom Trump has called “anarchists and agitators.”

Wolf said Tuesday that at least 43 people have been arrested on federal charges at that point. Charges included assaulting federal officers, arson and damaging federal property, U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams said. All the defendants are local and were released after making a court appearance.

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Sara Cline reported from Salem. Cline is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.

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Associated Press writer Andrew Selsky contributed from Salem, Oregon.

CBP chief blasts '10-year-old' Portland mayor, says lack of cooperation could be 'deadly'

Idiot

Cooperation between federal law enforcement has deteriorated as Portland's mayor rebuffed the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) overtures and the city council made a "deadly" decision to block police assistance, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Mark Morgan told Fox News.

For weeks, Portland has been rocked by violence and attacks on federal property, which Morgan says is enough justification for his agents to enter the city. A resistant Mayor Ted Wheeler, meanwhile, has joined ongoing protests and accused the federal government of violating the Constitution through "un-American" tactics.
When DHS leadership visited Portland, Wheeler tweeted that he wouldn't meet with them even if they asked.
"That's not a leader. That's a 10-year-old," Morgan told Fox News during an exclusive interview Thursday.
His comments reflected ongoing tension between liberal jurisdictions like Portland and an administration that paints itself as taking all necessary measures to ensure law and order. On Friday, Wheeler accused DHS of a "federal occupation" that he said "must end."
But according to Morgan, his agents are the only ones standing in the way of complete destruction of the city's federal courthouse. "The minute that we remove our presence from that building, this country would watch the courthouse burn to the ground at the hands of these criminals," he said.
He also speculated that the situation in Portland would end "overnight" if the city allowed its own police officers to do their jobs. The Portland Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.

"That's not going to happen -- and that's what this is about. It's not about all of the political talking points. It's straightforward. It's about law and order. It's about criminals that are attacking a federal facility and have attempted night after night to burn it to the ground and they have assaulted federal agents night after night after night," Morgan said.
However, Portland official have framed the debate in terms of excessive government authority.
Portland's city council has also joined the mayor in resisting cooperation with federal law enforcement.
"Not only is the Trump administration violating the constitutional rights of Portlanders, but they are also attempting to use Portland as a proving ground for fascism, and they plan to invade cities across the country, cities that are political targets of the president," City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly said.
On Friday, the city sent the federal government a cease-and-desist letter directing authorities to remove fencing around the courthouse. Eudaly's proposed resolution, passed earlier this week, banned the police department from cooperating with federal agents -- a decision that Morgan said will cost agents' lives.

"It’s got a potential to have deadly impact — deadly impact, and I’m not being hyperbolic," Morgan said. He pointed to a breakdown of communication between government entities before the Sept. 11 attacks as proof of the potential for dire consequences.
"So, now you have a city council that is telling their police department that they cannot, cannot share information or intelligence with another law enforcement agency -- and that includes even information against life. So what the city council has told the police department  is basically that if you have information -- even if a federal law enforcement life is in danger that they cannot share that information with that agency," he said.
"That is outrageous, it's irresponsible, and it's a classic example of these local politicians putting politics before public safety ... When did law enforcement in this situation become the enemy?" he asked.
The resolution's wording specifically blocks police from sending or receiving "operational support" from federal agents. Portland's police department did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment. By press time, the mayor's office had not yet provided clarification on whether police can provide information about threats to agents' lives.
"Communication has all but broke down," Morgan said, claiming that the city wasn't making efforts to prevent violence.
Wheeler's office pointed Fox News to comments President Trump made on "Hannity" -- apparently to indicate that the poor relationship was a two-way street.  "Mayor Wheeler. And he’s—he made a fool out of himself," he said Thursday. "He wanted to be among the people, so he went into the crowd, and they knocked the hell out of him. That was the end of him. So it was pretty, uh, pretty pathetic," Trump said.

Portland's mayor has indicated he sees federal agents as an enemy force. "This is not a de-escalation strategy," Wheeler said. "This is flat-out urban warfare and it's being brought on this country by the president and it's got to stop now." While speaking with Fox News, Morgan insisted his agency had the authority to enter cities like Portland. "What we're talking about is a surge to assist federal authorities that are already in the city," he said.
Morgan has been on the forefront of countering a torrent of criticism and allegations that he claims are false about his agents. Media outlets and protesters have alleged that federal agents were abusing their authority and sidestepping civil liberties in dealing with the crowds.
Meanwhile, DHS has said that individuals -- not fit to be called protesters, according to Morgan -- attacked their agents and committed federal crimes.
CBP agents have seen at least seven injuries, including chemical burning of an agent's neck and a required hospitalization due to a shin injury. On Friday, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said that three agents were likely blinded by laser attacks.
“A federal agent’s hand was impaled by planted nails, another federal agent was shot with a pellet gun, leaving a wound deep to the bone, and tragically, three federal officers were likely left permanently blinded by the rioters using lasers pointed directly into their eyes,” she said.

Morgan maintained that he was aware of no wrong-doing on his agent's part, noting that he receives "very detailed reports" on the situation "literally hour by hour." Oregon officials worried about agents' actions appeared to be successful in prompting a federal investigation. Both DHS and the Justice Department announced on Thursday that they would pursue probes into agents' conduct.
When asked about DOJ's investigation, Morgan said: "I understand that DHS [Department of Homeland Security] IG [Inspector General] has initiated some inquiries. I am aware of that as well. Here’s what I’ll say: I’m very confident based on all the information that I know — which is considerable."

Seattle police chief: New limits on anti-protest gear will mean 'adjusted' law enforcement

Seattle's police officers will now respond to protests and rioting through “adjusted deployment” methods because of a new city law that bans them from using some crowd-control tools, the city's police chief said Friday.
The new law, which takes effect Sunday, “bans Seattle Police officers the use of less lethal tools, including pepper spray that is commonly used to disperse crowds that have turned violent,” police Chief Carmen Best said in a statement.
“Simply put," Best added, "the legislation gives officers NO ability to safely intercede to preserve property in the midst of a large, violent crowd."
City Council Ordinance 119805, issued by the City Council earlier this week, bans tear gas, blast balls and other anti-protest gear used to disperse crowds and protect officers when crowds turn violent.
U.S. District Judge James Robart ruled Wednesday that the City Council’s plan could proceed -- despite an attempt by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Best to stop the plan.
The mayor and the police chief submitted a motion arguing that the new law would conflict with an eight-year-old settlement on a policing-overhaul agreement struck between the Seattle Police Department and the U.S. Justice Department.

Seattle police Chief Carmen Best talks with activists in an undated photo. (Associated Press)

The police overhaul was prompted by Justice Department findings pointing to patterns of biased policing and excessive use of force by Seattle officers. Durkan and Best had argued to Robart that the new city law might interfere with terms of the accord struck with the Justice Department.
“It is important to bring to your attention that yesterday, I sent the City Council a letter ensuring them that as the Chief of Police, I have done my due diligence of informing them numerous times of the foreseeable impact of this ordinance on upcoming events,” Best said Friday.
“For these reasons," she continued, "Seattle Police will have an adjusted deployment in response to any demonstrations this weekend – as I will never ask our officers to risk their personal safety to protect property without the tools to do so in a safe way.”
Best’s announcement came less than a week after body-camera footage showed rioters throwing objects at Seattle officers last Sunday, resulting in injuries to 12 officers.
Fox News' Dom Calicchio contributed to this report.

Federal judge blocks Seattle council’s law banning police anti-riot gear

In a ruling Friday night, a federal judge blocked a new Seattle law prohibiting police from using pepper spray and other anti-riot weapons.
The new law was set to take effect Sunday but U.S. District Judge James Robart granted a request by the federal government to block the measure, the Seattle Times reported.
The Seattle City Council passed the new law unanimously last month, hoping to reduce violent clashes between police and protesters.
But the U.S. Justice Department argued that the inability to use pepper spray, blast balls and other devices might actually lead to more police use of force, not less, the Times reported.

Seattle police officers hold weapons as they stand guard outside the East Precinct Building recently. (Associated Press)

In his ruling, Robart determined that the situation required further discussion between the city and the Justice Department, which years ago entered a settlement agreement regarding a police department overhaul because of past complaints about excessive force and biased policing.
Robart called his restraining order blocking the law “very temporary,” and advised the city and the Justice Department to engage in constructive discussions regarding the next step.
“I urge you all to use it as an occasion to try to find out where it is we are and where it is we’re going,” he said, according to the Times. “I can’t tell youy today if blast balls are a good idea or a bad idea, but I know that sometime a long time ago I approved them.”
Prior to the judge’s Friday ruling, Seattle police Chief Carmen Best, in anticipation of the new law taking effect Sunday, announced plans for “adjusted deployment” methods that she said were designed to protect police officers who would lack access to the anti-riot weapons.
But the judge’s Friday ruling move the chief’s plans moot – at least for now.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, a federal government plan arrived in Seattle, carrying federal law enforcement officers who were expected to be deployed this weekend to protect federal buildings from any possible rioting.
They would augment the deployment of local police.
Robart is the presiding judge in the 2012 consent decree that required Seattle city officials to address the past allegations of excessive force and biased policing.
Fox News’ Caitlin McFall, David Aaro and The Associated Press contributed to this story.

China Spy Cartoons

CDC rolls out tools for schools to reopen safely during coronavirus outbreak: 'Critically important'

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday released various virtual tools and guidelines geared toward assisting schools and educational staff around the country, as in-person classes are set to resume in the fall following the coronavirus outbreak.

The suggestions, which are listed on the agency's website, are also designed to help parents make certain their children are as protected as possible by taking specific precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19.
"With states, cities, and communities around the United States experiencing different levels of coronavirus transmission, jurisdictions should ensure appropriate public health strategies are in place to slow the spread of COVID-19 as the first step in creating a safer school environment," the CDC said.
"Then, working in collaboration with their state and local health departments, school administrators can employ strategies that best match the local conditions and actions that are practical and feasible in their schools to help protect the health and safety of everyone -- including students, teachers, and other staff," it continued.
CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield said it was vital for schools to reopen in September, but added there must be an increased sense of vigilance and practicality among students, teachers and administrators.
“It is critically important for our public health to open schools this fall,” he explained. “The CDC resources released today will help parents, teachers and administrators make practical, safety-focused decisions as this school year begins. I know this has been a difficult time for our Nation’s families. School closures have disrupted normal ways of life for children and parents, and they have had negative health consequences on our youth. CDC is prepared to work with K-12 schools to safely reopen while protecting the most vulnerable.”
In addition to printable photos and graphics reminding children to wash their hands, the site included guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting classrooms, a hub of communication resources, a checklist for students and parents to make sure they have the proper materials for the school year, and a page dedicated entirely to worker safety.

The CDC said that evidence showed a return to the classroom poses "low risks" to students and teachers on the whole and will give children the opportunity to bolster their physical and mental well-being.
"The best available evidence from countries that have opened schools indicates that COVID-19 poses low risk to school-aged children," the agency said on its website. "Reopening schools creates an opportunity to invest in the education, well-being, and future of one of America's greatest assets -- our children -- while taking every precaution to protect students, teachers, staff and all their families."

Chicago removes Columbus statue from Grant Park in dead of night: reports

Workers arrived under cover of darkness early Friday to remove a Christopher Columbus statue from Chicago’s Grant Park – a week after rioters clashed with city police as they attempted to tear the statue down.
The statue was being removed partly to de-escalate tensions between protesters and police as unrest continues in the nation’s third-largest city, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Videos and still images posted on social media showed the statue draped in a cloth as a crane pulled up to dislodge the statue from a pedestal before driving off.
Where the statue would be stored – and whether it will return anytime soon – wasn’t immediately known.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was considering removing a statue of Christopher Columbus from Grant Park as early as Thursday night, reports said.

Last Friday multiple police officers were injured and several arrests were made during a tense protest in which demonstrators tried to pull down the statue, FOX 32 in Chicago reported.
On Thursday, reports said Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot planned to have the statue -- as well as another Columbus statue in Little Italy – removed as early as Thursday night.

Charlamagne Tha God says Biden should 'shut the eff up forever' after calling Trump 'first' racist POTUS

"The Breakfast Club" radio host Charlamagne Tha God blasted former Vice President Joe Biden for calling President Trump the "first" racist president to be elected.
On Wednesday, Biden took aim at the president's alleged racism, suggesting it's historic compared to his predecessors.
“No sitting president has ever done this... No Republican president has done this. No Democratic president. We’ve had racists and they’ve existed and they’ve tried to get elected president. He’s the first one that has,” Biden said.
However, Charlamagne declared the presumptive Democratic candidate Thursday's "Donkey of the Day" for his comments.
"I really wish Joe Biden would shut the eff up forever and continue to act like he's starring in the movie 'A Quiet Place' because as soon as he opens his mouth and makes noise, he gets us all killed, OK?" the radio host said. "There's already so many people who are reluctantly only voting for Joe Biden because he's the only option and because Donald J. Trump is that trash."
Charlamagne then cited polling that showed a wide enthusiasm gap between Biden and Trump, noting that it's "not good" for the Democrat to be lacking excitement among his voters, and suggested Biden's latest remarks will further contribute to the "lack of enthusiasm."
"Old white male leadership has failed America and there is nothing worse than an old white male [who] can't recognize the faults and flaws of other old white males," Charlamagne told listeners. "Racism is the American way. Donald Trump is not the first. And sadly, he won't be the last, right? He's just more overt with his racism than most presidents in recent times."
The "Breakfast Club" co-host accused Biden of "revisionist history," calling his claim about Trump "a lie" that "relinquishes America of all responsibility of its bigotry."
"How are we ever going to atone for America's original sins if we don't acknowledge them?" Charlamagne asked in reaction to Biden's remarks. "How the hell can Donald Trump be the first racist president in a country where 12 presidents before him owned slaves?"
He later offered a message directly to Biden.
"Joe, you got to hurry up and announce your Black woman VP [vice president] so I can be enthused about voting for her because I will never be enthused about voting for you, and you know America is a terrible place when Kanye West seems like a viable option," Charlamagne added.
Charlamagne Tha God created headlines during his interview with Biden in May after the former VP suggested that "you ain't Black" if Black voters were considering voting for Trump. Biden later walked back those remarks.