Local 328 Condemns Unlawful Federal Response to Legal Protests

AFSCME Local 328 condemns, in the strongest terms possible, the treatment of protesters by the unidentifiable, militarized federal law-enforcement agents who were recently deployed to Portland.

Citizens are exercising their rights to protest systemic racism and police brutality, which these federal agents have responded to with indiscriminate violence, including:

• Throwing flash-bangs directly at peaceful protesters and unleashing untold amounts of tear gas (including against pregnant women) for doing nothing more than standing in the street

• Shooting a “less lethal” round directly at the head of a protester whose hands were up, fracturing his skull

• Grabbing and detaining protesters with no explanation as to why they were being arrested or by whom

• Beating a Navy veteran with a baton, breaking his hand

Per the Willamette Week, “The use of tear gas against protesters falls in the wake of a federal lawsuit against the city of Portland, and a temporary restraining order issued by Chief U.S. District Judge Marco Hernandez that banned through July 24 the use of tear gas and ‘less than lethal’ munitions in Portland except when there is an immediate threat to public safety. ‘Tear gas shall not be used to disperse crowds where there is no or little risk of injury,’ Hernandez wrote.” 

While actions like defacing property with graffiti, tearing down fences, or setting trash cans on fire are criminal, they are not an immediate threat to public safety. The uninvited presence of militarized federal law-enforcement agents has only exacerbated the situation in downtown Portland — there has been no reduction in crime associated with the protests, and the non-violent citizens who represent the vast majority are being senselessly brutalized.

Our fair city is not a hostile military zone to be occupied by federal aggressors who are not accountable to Portland’s leaders. Our citizens who assemble together to raise their voices for justice should not fear their government. Our union stands with the many elected leaders in Oregon who condemn the actions of the federal agents and call for their removal.  

The federal government’s use of these tactics is clearly meant to have a chilling effect on dissent and to discourage citizens from using their First Amendment rights. The hyperbolic description of our city as being “under siege” by mobs of “violent anarchists” is a political ploy designed to sow division. The Trump administration’s threat to deploy these violent federal law-enforcement officials to other cities “run by very liberal Democrats” is an utter disgrace to the democratic ideals this nation supposedly embraces. We fear that what’s happening in Portland now is a test run for nationwide federal action around the election, and we demand accountability for those who allowed this to happen, before it gets worse.