What’s happening in Portland right now is not peaceful, nor should it be considered a protest. Rioters broke into the Portland Police Association building on Saturday, set it on fire, and started similar dumpster fires across the city. They chanted, “Every city, every town, burn the precincts to the ground!” as they threw glass bottles, rocks, and paint at officers defending the city’s buildings.
Such destruction must be met with force. And it has been, thanks to the federal troops preventing rioters from taking over certain parts of the city the way they did in Seattle’s CHOP zone last month. Seattle’s experiment in lawlessness ended only after multiple nights of violence and the death of at least one person, a teenager. Only then did the city decide to put its foot down and allow law enforcement to do its job.
The Trump administration clearly learned from Seattle because it is not waiting for Portland’s officials to decide to act. Officers from the U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group and Customs and Border Protection’s Border Patrol Tactical Unit have been detaining antagonistic protesters, deploying pepper spray and tear gas when necessary, and shielding federal buildings from defacement.
Portland’s officials have been quick to condemn the federal policing. Mayor Ted Wheeler demanded that President Trump remove the officers immediately, and House Democrats have asked the inspectors general of the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security to investigate whether the use of federal agents in Portland has violated federal law.
Wheeler’s concerns deserve consideration. And reports that officers in unmarked vehicles are detaining individuals without regard for their constitutional rights are troubling. But Democrats would be wise not to allow Portland to fall into the hands of lawless antagonizers like those who wreaked havoc in cities such as Seattle and Minneapolis.
Wheeler says that federal law enforcement is further aggravating the situation and creating additional tensions where there shouldn’t be any. The problem with this assertion is that Portland protesters were acting aggressively before federal officers arrived in July. This has been going on for more than 57 days now. Protesters in the city were attacking local police officers and destroying private property long before the Trump administration sent the feds, which suggests that protesters would have continued to behave this way whether federal officers had arrived or not.
If Wheeler wants federal officers to leave the city, then he must do what he should have done 57 days ago and put down these protests. Arrest violent agitators, investigate the groups behind them, and allow Portland’s officers to do their jobs. This is the only way to restore order, which is exactly what Portland needs right now. Without it, innocent residents will get hurt, and private citizens will suffer serious losses. Just ask Seattle.
