The commissioner of the Portland Bureau of Transportation says the city of Portland is charging the federal government $500 for every 15 minutes the fence surrounding the Hatfield Federal Courthouse remains up.
Commissioner Chloe Eudaly described the deployment of federal officers to protect the courthouse as an “occupation,” and was concerned for city workers’ safety if they tried to remove the fence.
According to Eudaly, the federal government owes the city of Portland over $192,000 as of last week, “We intend to collect.”
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The fence was installed to put distance between rioters and the courthouse. Despite the fencing, rioters continued to launch projectiles and fireworks at the courthouse and federal security officers, along with starting fires within the perimeter.