Portland Police Association President Daryl Turner addressed the city’s weekend protests which authorities declared a “riot” after police say the association’s office was set on fire. “Our community has had enough,” Turner said. “Our business owners have had enough. Our officers have had enough and Portland has had enough.”
Nearly two months of protests against racial inequality and police brutality have followed the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The recent controversy in Portland has focused on the unidentified federal officers arresting protesters.
Department of Homeland Security officers have been seen on camera making arrests and putting protesters into unmarked vehicles and Customs and Border Protection has acknowledged its agents were also involved in arresting protesters.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum is suing the DHS. She said, “These federal agencies are operating with no transparency and against the will of just about every leader in our state.”
Those leaders include the governor and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler is also speaking out. He said, “People are being literally scooped off the street into unmarked vans, denied due process. As far as I can see, this is completely unconstitutional.”
Protests also played out in Seattle over the weekend, which resulted in arrests, damage to police property, and one officer being taken to a hospital, according to the Seattle Police Department.
As of Sunday night, there was no word on the condition of the officer injured in Seattle.
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