News Roundup

Published for NC Criminal Law on July 24, 2020.

Clashes between federal law enforcement agents and protesters in Portland, Oregon, have been major national news this week after reports emerged that, in addition to extensive use of tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets, there have been instances where unidentified federal agents in unmarked vans are arresting and interrogating people and later releasing them without filing criminal charges.  Details about the extent of the alleged practice are hard to come by at the time of this writing, but late last week Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum sued the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Federal Protective Service arguing that the agencies’ actions are unconstitutional and asking for a temporary restraining order.  Keep reading for more on this story and other news. Portland.  In other Portland news, on Wednesday night the city’s mayor, Ted Wheeler, was tear gassed repeatedly by federal agents as he joined protesters in an effort to get a first-hand look at the clashes.  The previous link notes that Wheeler is the city police commissioner and that the Portland Police Bureau itself has regularly used tear gas to break up the protests.  Also on Wednesday, the Portland City Council passed policies banning city police bureau members from cooperating with federal law enforcement.  On Thursday, the Justice Department inspector general announced that it will conduct a review of the conduct of federal agents in Portland and in Washington, D.C., where federal officers controversially cleared protests in Lafayette Square last month. [...]