The Justice Department explored possible criminal or civil charges against local officials in Portland, Ore., after weeks of clashes between federal law enforcement and violent protesters, spokeswoman Kerri Kupec told Fox News.
Kupec declined to comment on whether the department ultimately will bring charges. She said there were no specific charges in mind, rather, DOJ officials were looking at the way Portland officials “were handling, or not handling” the riots and violence.
In the meantime, Portland protests against police brutality resumed on Friday night after pausing for about a week as wildfires destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres statewide.
Protest organizations, including the Pacific Northwest Youth Liberation Front, announced on Twitter plans to protest beginning at 7 pm in downtown.
“It’s been a hot second PDX so y’all better show the fuck up,” PNW Youth Liberation Front tweeted Sept. 18. “Meet: 7 pm Move: 8 pm. Be water, Spread fire, Melt ice.”
The so-called “protests” reminded of a war movie!
Videos below:
Using heavy smoke as cover on one end, officers moved in from behind and made multiple surprised arrests of the #antifa rioters in Portland tonight. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/MmZR48kdvW
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) September 19, 2020
Federal law enforcement continue to push #antifa rioters further away from the Portland ICE facility. Antifa do not have their usual large shield division tonight. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/v6bqcmEFMs
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) September 19, 2020
Rioter gets punched during arrest. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/zdqwn7oiH2
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) September 19, 2020
The protests turned even more violent and one Antifa rioter even tried to run through a group of police officers with his carbut received instant justice and rain of impact ammunition.
Video below:
Car heading toward officers is hit with a bunch of impact munitions at the #antifa riot. It reverses to leave. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/lUAHOvveJB
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) September 19, 2020
President Trump has criticized Democrats, and specifically, Wheeler, who he says have not done enough to stop nights of looting and unrest in cities across the U.S. Trump has called Wheeler a “wacky Radical Left Do Nothing Democrat Mayor” and has said the city “will never recover with a fool for a Mayor….”
Just days after the death of George Floyd while in the custody of police in Minneapolis at the end of May, large demonstrations reached Portland’s streets and nightly clashes between protesters and police officers continued for over a month until federal law enforcement was sent in to protect federal properties.
