Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Federal Forces Tear Gas Oregon Protesters, Portland Police Say

Associated Press

   PORTLAND, ORE. - Portland police early Monday detailed another night of
   conflict between protesters and federal forces outside the U.S.
   courthouse in Oregon's largest city, including a small fire outside the
   building and tear gas deployed to disperse the crowd.

   A department statement said police officers did not engage with the the
   crowd, and that federal authorities periodically came of out of the
   courthouse to keep demonstrators at bay, according to police and news
   outlets.

   Video posted online also showed protesters taking down fencing that had
   surrounded the courthouse. "Dozens of people with shields, helmets, gas
   masks, umbrellas, bats, and hockey sticks approached the doors" before
   federal law enforcement came out and dispersed the crowd," police said.

   "At 1:34 a.m. people lit a fire within the portico in front of the
   federal courthouse. Others gathered around the fire adding wood and
   other debris to make it larger. At 1:42 a.m. federal law enforcement
   came out of the courthouse, dispersed the crowd and extinguished the
   fire," the statement said.

   Gas was used at least twice to remove protesters, the statement said,
   but Portland officers "were not present during any of the activity" or
   deploy any "CS gas."

   The statement comes as some local and state leaders have voiced their
   displeasure with the presence of federal agents in the city that has
   seen protests every day since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis
   nearly two months ago.

   Speaking on CNN's 'State of the Union,' Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler
   said federal officers "are not wanted here. We haven't asked them here.
   In fact, we want them to leave."

   Top leaders in the U.S. House said Sunday they were "alarmed" by the
   Trump administration's tactics against protesters in Portland and other
   cities, including Washington, D.C. They've called on federal inspectors
   general investigate.

.