As a response to some of the most intense Black Lives Matter protests in the country, federal agents deployed in Portland, Oregon earlier this month and have now begun to arrest protesters in unmarked vehicles. This week, President Trump has announced his plans to deploy the same agents in Chicago and eventually Philadelphia, New York, Detroit, and other cities.
Since July 14, there have been reports and videos of agents in camouflage seizing unarmed protesters off the streets and throwing them into unmarked cars.
Police kidnap another person and throw her in an unmarked vehicle while telling her friends not to follow them or they will be shot. #Gestapo #FacistTrump #PortlandKidnappings pic.twitter.com/2Ld238DClj
— Shay (@JustShay11) July 18, 2020
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has requested a restraining order against the agents. She considered them to be unlawful and a violation of the protesters’ First Amendment right to peacefully assemble.
“These tactics must stop,” Rosenblum said. “They [are creating] a more volatile situation on our streets.”
Susan Rice on situation in Portland: “It’s an abuse of power by President Trump, and it’s a purely politically motivated abuse of power. He’s sagging in the polls. He thinks the only way to rally his base is through racism and touting law and order.”
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 21, 2020
At least 13 protestors who were seized by the federal agents have been charged with crimes in Portland so far.
In addition, the Trump administration expressed plans to deploy approximately 150 Homeland Security Investigations special agents in Chicago. The agents’ efforts are normally directed towards longer term investigations for serious crimes like terrorism or human trafficking. Now, they are expected to be stationed in Chicago for at least two months to subdue protestors in a similar manner as the Portland agents.
“We’re not going to let New York and Chicago and Philadelphia and Detroit and Baltimore and all of these — Oakland is a mess. We’re not going to let this happen in our country. All run by liberal Democrats,” Trump said on Monday.
Trump is the first president to threaten to deploy federal law enforcement to settle local matters.
Donald Trump reveals that he plans to deploy his “gestapo” to other cities like NYC, Chicago and Detroit. Every American should be outraged about this gross constitutional overreach.
— A Worried Citizen (@ThePubliusUSA) July 20, 2020
About 2,000 officials have already been assembled by the Department of Homeland Security and are on standby to be deployed across various cities.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has expressed that the agents were not welcome in Chicago.
“We don’t need federal agents without any insignia taking people off the street and holding them, I think, unlawfully,” Lightfoot said before the deployment was confirmed. “That’s not what we need.”