The governor of Oregon and federal authorities say they’ve reached an agreement to begin withdrawing federal agents from downtown Portland after weeks of violent encounters…
The governor of Oregon and federal authorities say they’ve reached an agreement to begin withdrawing federal agents from downtown Portland after weeks of violent encounters with protesters.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said in a statement Wednesday that the federal government had agreed to a «phased withdrawal» of federal officers from Portland.
«We have a clear agreement that all Customs and Border Protection and ICE officers will leave downtown Portland on Thursday. Shortly thereafter, they will go home,» Brown said. «A limited contingent of federal officials – who provide security year-round to the federal courthouse – will remain and stay focused on its interior.»
Oregon State Police troopers would replace the federal officers downtown to protect free speech and keep the peace, Brown said.
Brown said on Twitter that she had spoken with Vice President Mike Pence and others.
«They have acted as an occupying force & brought violence,» Brown wrote, in part, on Twitter. «Let’s center the Black Lives Matter movement’s demands for racial justice and police accountability. It’s time for bold action to reform police practices.»
But speaking later Wednesday to reporters, the acting secretary of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, said that federal officers would not leave Portland «until we are assured that the courthouse and other federal facilities will no longer be attacked nightly and set afire.»
Wolf said the department’s agents would remain in Portland to protect the federal courthouse and other buildings, and that they would rely on Oregon State Police to deal with violent protesters outside the fence line in city streets and parks.
Ken Cuccinelli, acting deputy secretary at DHS, said that some federal officers would be visible around the courthouse and that the additional federal officers deployed to Portland would still be downtown, just not at the courthouse.
