PORTLAND, Ore. — The federal government is sending more law enforcement officers to Portland, according to reports. The Washington Post and Oregon Public Broadcasting reported the Trump administration has deployed an additional 100 federal officers to help protect federal buildings in downtown Portland, including the federal courthouse which has been the epicenter of nightly protests.
“We won’t discuss the number of officers that are there or if any other officers are coming in,” said Kris Cline, principal deputy director of the Federal Protective Service during a press briefing on Monday.
Last week, a federal prosecutor said there are currently 114 federal agents in Portland.
This weekend saw thousands of people demonstrating for racial justice, followed by overnight clashes between federal officers and protesters. Federal authorities said some demonstrators lit fires, launched fireworks at officers and breached a huge fence set up to protect the courthouse.
There were several nasty confrontations captured on video, including a Vietnam veteran pepper sprayed by federal officers.
“The cop just snuck up from behind me and just hit me directly in the eyes. I mean it was a direct hit,” said Richard Hastie, 75, of Portland.
The anti-war activist said he was telling officers why he was peacefully protesting in the street when things escalated in the early morning hours Sunday.
“I was just exercising my First Amendment rights and all of a sudden, a police officer came walking up from behind me and he just sprayed me directly in the eyes and he just kept moving,” explained Hastie.
A Portland mom shared her story on Facebook after being struck in the face while protesting with the Wall of Moms group on Saturday.
Demonstrators from the Wall of Moms group and Don’t Shoot Portland filed a federal lawsuit in Washington D.C. on Monday against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security arguing federal officers are violating their free speech, using excessive force and overstepping their authority.
On Sunday, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf told Fox News there will be “additional actions” probably as early as this week.
“We’re working with the FBI there in Portland and the U.S. Attorney’s office there in Portland to address the leaders that are organizing this and then going after them,” said Wolf.
Billy Williams, the U.S. Attorney for Oregon, declined to comment on any ongoing investigations.