Federal law enforcement in Portland has arrested 74 people and charged 60 of them with federal crimes for actions they allegedly took against federal police and facilities in the Oregon city, according to the Justice Department.
DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec announced Monday afternoon that U.S. attorneys have also arrested 236 people and charged 238 nationwide in cases related to “violent opportunists” and “civil unrest.”
Riots in Portland began 60 days ago, with peaceful protests simultaneously taking place each night. When Federal Protective Service officers from the Department of Homeland Security were unable to protect a federal courthouse from attackers who were using commercial fireworks and other objects, the Trump administration sent in tactical agents, including Customs and Border Protection’s Border Patrol Tactical Unit and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Special Response Team. DOJ’s Marshals Service also directed employees to guard the federal facility, which law mandates that DHS protect.
Current # of federal arrests and charged cases related to violent opportunists & civil unrest ⬇️
Portland —
⏹ 74 arrests
⏹ 60 defendants chargedTotal Nationally —
⏹ 236 arrests
⏹ 238 defendants charged— Kerri Kupec DOJ (@KerriKupecDOJ) July 27, 2020
A DHS spokesperson wrote in a Monday Twitter post that the DHS had found or been attacked with Molotov cocktails, sledgehammers, pipe bombs, mortar fireworks, and metal spikes over the weekend.
The FBI has launched a formal investigation into the violent attacks on federal law enforcement and federal buildings in Portland, two senior administration officials told the Washington Examiner last week. Democratic lawmakers, including Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, have criticized DHS and DOJ for overstepping their authority by taking over a portion of downtown Portland without consent.
