The Department of Homeland Security responded to myths that are seen in most media reporting about the riots in Portland, DHS Office of Public Affairs reported in a press release.
When domestic terrorists began nightly assaults on the Hatfield Federal Courthouse in Portland, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown responded by appeasing the attackers and minimizing their actions while blaming the federal government for defending the property.
After two months of violence, however, Brown changed her tone and agreed on July 29 to finally work with federal troops and end the attacks.
Since Brown agreed to help secure the courthouse, violence has dropped off some.
There were zero reported attacks against federal agents for the first time in almost two months on Sunday, Aug. 2. But the danger remains ongoing, even with the support of local police, who declared a riot earlier this week.
- The first myth that the media has constructed is that the violence has declined in Portland and around the Hatfield Federal Courthouse as a result of a draw-down in federal agents, but DHS said no such draw-down has occurred.
Rather, DHS said federal agents are still in Portland, and the number of them has increased. They are working with Oregon State Police officers.
To prevent far-left terrorists from approaching the fencing that surrounds the federal courthouse to attacks agents or burn down the courthouse, federal agents are patrolling behind the fencing, and the OSP officers are patrolling in front of the fencing.
“The Department will continue to maintain our current, augmented federal law enforcement personnel in Portland until we are assured that the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other federal properties will no longer be attacked and that the seat of justice in Portland will remain secure,” Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf said in a press release.
- The second myth is that “the violence is decreasing because federal officers’ presence is now less visible.”
DHS said that federal agents were sent after violence had been occurring for a month.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler tweeted on July 3 about violence that dates back to early June.
This has been going on for more than a month now.
Violence and vandalism detract from the importance of the larger movement for justice.
Groups continue to target the Justice Center, threatening the safety of hundreds of inmates and employees inside.
— Mayor Ted Wheeler (@tedwheeler) July 3, 2020
DHS said Portland has become more dangerous in other ways, not just in regard to the street riots, with homicide investigations this year reaching their highest point in 30 years.
“Simply put, just because the media and others were not paying as much attention to Portland’s violence prior to the DHS surge doesn’t mean the violence wasn’t occurring,” DHS said.
- The final myth is that “Portland’s downward trend in violence is a result of OSP being more effective than DHS.”
DHS said the streets have settled down because of effective cooperation between local, state, and federal officers.
“For nearly two months, DHS demanded cooperation with state and local law enforcement in Portland,” DHS said “It wasn’t until DHS officers suffered more than 240 injuries that Oregon’s Governor finally agreed to do her job.”
