After almost four months of near constant riots, Oregon governor Kate Brown has finally declared a state of emergency. Attacks on cops, arson, vandalism and even killings, and Kate Brown still refused to call a state of emergency.
Why now? The Proud Boys decided they wanted to hold a rally in Portland.
“The First Amendment does not give anyone license to hurt or kill someone because of opposing political views,” Brown said. “And when free expression is fueled by hate and coupled with an intent to incite violence, then I need to do everything I can as governor to ensure the safety of Oregonians.”
Funny, that. Governor Brown somehow misses that is exactly what’s been going on in Portland for the last 120 days, without a big Proud Boys presence.
The emergency order transfers control of any response to the Oregon State Police, and bypasses Portland mayor Ted Wheeler’s prohibition of the use of tear gas and riot control munitions.
Oregon governor Kate Brown released a plan she thinks will help reduce the violence in Portland on Sunday. The plan includes the following:
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office will prosecute serious criminal offenses, including arson and physical violence.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office will work with system partners to hold individuals booked for violent behavior, and to ensure that there is adequate jail space to hold such individuals.
As done previously, Oregon State Police will detail personnel and resources to Portland to free up the Portland Police Bureau’s investigative capabilities to arrest and charge those engaging in violent acts. OSP troopers will continue their standard practice of wearing body cameras to allow for the documentation of their activities.
The Governor is asking Clackamas and Washington County Sheriff’s Offices and the City of Gresham Police Department to support the Portland Police Bureau with personnel and resources to keep the peace and protect free speech.
Oregon State Police have offered over two dozen body cameras and associated evidence management to the Portland Police Bureau, and the Bureau will evaluate their use. The City of Portland has agreed to indemnify Clackamas and Washington Counties and the City of Gresham for law enforcement assistance. In addition, the Mayor will seek financial resources to reimburse these jurisdictions for their support.
The United States Attorney and the Federal Bureau of Investigation will commit additional resources for investigation of criminal activity.
Sounds good right? Well, there are a few problems with that plan. First and foremost, the governor didn’t bother to contact the Sheriffs of Clackamas and Washington counties to ask about their participation.
Here’s Clackamas county Sheriff Craig Roberts’s full statement (emphasis mine):
Had Governor Brown discussed her plan with my office, I would have told her it’s about changing policy not adding resources. Increasing law enforcement resources in Portland will not solve the nightly violence and now, murder. The only way to make Portland safe again, is to support a policy that holds offenders accountable for their destruction and violence. That will require the DA to charge offenders appropriately and a decision by the Multnomah County Presiding Judge not to allow offenders released on their own recognizance, and instead require bail with conditions. The same offenders are arrested night after night, only to be released by the court and not charged with a crime by the DA’s Office. The next night they are back at it, endangering the lives of law enforcement and the community all over again.
For all of us in law enforcement, keeping our community safe is our first priority. Had Governor Brown asked me, I would have told her that no amount of human resources will stop the “cycle of violence” (her term) that is making Portland unsafe. For that to occur, the criminal justice system will need do its part and hold offenders accountable.
In a joint Statement the Oregon Association Chiefs of Police and Oregon State Sheriff’s Association weighed in as well, releasing this statement (emphasis mine):
Over the weekend, members of our associations were approached to assist with policing in the City of Portland. Unfortunately, due to the lack of support for public safety operations, the associated liability to agencies who would be assisting in Portland and the lack of accountability for those arrested committing criminal acts, we cannot dedicate our limited resources away from the communities we serve. We know there will already be an additional burden on local law enforcement agencies as Oregon State Police Troopers are re-assigned to assist in Portland.
We would propose the following as steps to bring an end to the criminal acts and violence in Portland beginning with a strong statement by elected leadership at all levels that criminal acts are not legitimate protest and that those who commit crimes will be held accountable. There must be support for Law Enforcement actions, through preventative detention and prosecution, when criminal violators are arrested. Finally, there must be publicly voiced support for Law Enforcement and its efforts to protect lawful protesters and hold criminal violators accountable in a very difficult environment.
Seeing a common theme here? There have been more than 500 arrests in Portland since the riots started and most of those cases have been dropped by the Multnomah County DA. The rioters are virtually always “released quickly,” out and about to continue on with rioting.
Kate Brown “agrees” that people should be charged if they have committed “serious criminal offenses.” “That’s why she’s been working today with the Multnomah County District Attorney, the Multnomah County Sheriff, and the Presiding Judge of Multnomah County to ensure this happens.”
I’m sorry, but if the worthless DA Mike Schmitt and the even more worthless Portland mayor Ted Wheeler had been doing what they were supposed to, little of this would have happened.
So, as I read through the headlines, I continue to think to myself. The social and economic damage that is being created by Ted Wheeler, Mayor of Portland and Kate Brown the Governor is going to last for a very long time.
Progressive Groups Call for Resignation of Portland Mayor Over Fatal Shooting Several progressive groups in Oregon have demanded Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s resignation following the fatal shooting of a right-wing protester in the city over the weekend. In a joint letter, left-wing organizations the Oregon chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Oregon Justice Resource Center, the Portland Democratic Socialists of America NextUp Action Fund, Portland’s Resistance and Popular Mobilization PDX said Wheeler has “not protected or supported” Portland’s residents. The groups also called for the resignation of Police Chief Chuck Lovell following the Saturday shooting that killed a supporter of the conservative group Patriot Prayer, Aaron Jay Danielson, also known as Jay. https://www.theepochtimes.com/progressive-groups-call-for-resignation-of-portland-mayor-over-fatal-shooting_3483604.html
Man Linked to Portland Shooting Was Previously Arrested With Gun An Antifa member whose sister says she recognized him from photographs of the deadly shooting scene in Portland on Aug. 29 was previously arrested for possessing a loaded gun, court records show. Michael Forest Reinoehl, 48, is reportedly being probed for potential involvement in the shooting over the weekend, which left Aaron Danielson dead. Reinoehl was arrested in the early hours of July 5 for interfering with an officer, resisting arrest, and possession of a loaded firearm, according to court records reviewed by The Epoch Times. All three are misdemeanors. Photographs released by the Portland Police Bureau showed a man that appears to be Reinoehl on the ground, with a gun nearby, being arrested by multiple officers. Thirteen people were arrested during riots that night, police said, but the list of those taken into custody did not include the man’s name. https://www.theepochtimes.com/man-linked-to-portland-shooting-was-previously-arrested-with-gun_3483687.html
Portland Rioters Smash Windows, Break Into Business During March to Mayor’s Home Rioters in Portland on Monday night broke into a business and started a fire inside during a march to the apartment building where Mayor and Police Commissioner Ted Wheeler lives. Video footage showed rioters using baseball bats to shatter glass windows and doors to gain access to a dental clinic before lighting a fire inside. Graffiti sprayed on the business said “This is the language of the unheard” and “Cops & Klan go hand in hand.” In a bid to “deescalate the situation,” police officers “stayed out of sight and monitored the situation from the distance,” the Portland Police Bureau said in an incident summary. But the continued mayhem triggered a response. The clinic is situated in a large apartment building, prompting fears the fire could spread to residences and leading to the declaration of a riot. Officers moved in and dispersed the crowd so that firefighters could respond and extinguish the fire and others started by rioters. Clashes between the officers and rioters went into the early hours of Tuesday. https://www.theepochtimes.com/portland-rioters-smash-windows-break-into-business-during-march-to-mayors-home_3483624.html
See Also: Biden Praised For Copying Pence’s RNC Remarks On Violent Riots
Only now, do we see the left wing groups & Democrat Party denounce the anarchy, destruction and mayhem; which leads one to think – so, were you supporters and contributors, from the onset?
According to reports, an agreement has been reached between the federal government and the state of Oregon for federal officers to leave Portland. Under the agreement, the Oregon State Police will take over external security at the Federal Court house in Portland. US Marshalls and the Federal Protective Service will continue to secure the interior of the building.
Despite what Oregon governor Kate Brown says, the additional agents will not be leaving Portland immediately. Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf issued a statement saying the additional agents would stay in place until the attacks stop.
So this is putting the state folks on the front line, and saying, “It’s on you.” And if they are not up to the task, it’s on them and the federal agents are still there, ready to take over.
If the unrest continues, and why wouldn’t it, it takes apart the narrative that the riots in Portland were due to the feds.
