State police exit Portland after 2 weeks of protest duty

14/8/2020 11:44

        Oregon State Police are leaving Portland after a two-week assignment to help protect a federal courthouse that's been a target of protesters during months of conflict in Oregon's largest city.
        
        The state police are "continually reassessing our resources and the needs of our partner agencies and at this time we are inclined to move those resources back to counties where prosecution of criminal conduct is still a priority," Capt. Timothy R. Fox told television stations. "Last night was our last night in Portland.”
        
        Nights of unrest that increasingly targeted the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse previously prompted President Donald Trump to dispatch U.S. agents to guard the building in July, which reinvigorated Black Lives Matter demonstrations and often ended in violent clashes.
        
        The U.S. agents started drawing down in late July under an agreement between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Democratic Gov. Kate Brown that included state troopers taking their place for two weeks.