Oregon officials are desperate to kick federal troops out of Portland — filing a lawsuit this week requesting a restraining order against the more than 100 agents deployed to Portland as violence continues to envelop the city.
The suit, filed by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, claims that federal agents deployed by the Trump administration have used excessive force to restrain protesters and arrested people with no probable cause, according to a Politico report.
Camouflage-clad agents from the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies were deployed to the streets of Portland last week to protect federal monuments and buildings after nearly two months of demonstrations over police brutality and the death of George Floyd.
There are 114 federal agents in Portland, one Oregon attorney said in court.
The motion from the Oregon AG’s office asks the judge to order agents from the alphabet soup of agencies to stop arresting people without probable cause and identify themselves before making an arrest.
Clashes between protesters and authorities have grown increasingly violent in recent days, with agents using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse agitators dressed in riot gear after they tried to set a federal courthouse on fire this week.
Protesters also torched Portland’s police union headquarters on Saturday.
Oregon officials have demanded Trump withdraw forces from the state, insisting that they don’t need his help. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler blamed the feds for exacerbating the situation.
The administration is refusing to back down and is threatening to send troops to Chicago after a spate of shootings.
In a tweet Sunday, President Trump insisted he was trying to help and accused local leaders of losing control of the city.
“We are trying to help Portland, not hurt it. Their leadership has, for months, lost control of the anarchists and agitators,” he wrote.
“They are missing in action. We must protect Federal property, AND OUR PEOPLE,” Trump continued. “These were not merely protesters, these are the real deal!”