PORTLAND (US) – The governor of the state of Oregon said on Wednesday federal agents had agreed to withdraw from Portland although US officials said the agents would remain until the situation normalised after weeks of clashes with protesters.
According to Governor Kate Brown, Vice President Mike Pence had agreed to a “phased” withdrawal of federal agents that sparked a standoff between President Donald Trump and Democratic mayors over the presence of federal agents in their cities.
Brown said in a statement that as per the plan, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who are deployed to protect a federal court house will leave downtown Portland on Thursday. The head of US Homeland Security said the agents would continue to stay near the court house until they were sure the plan was working.
During the violent protests, one agitator was seriously injured by a rubber bullet while two officers were blinded for life by lasers used by demonstrators. Protesters were apprehended and whisked off the street by agents in unmarked vehicles.
“They have acted as an occupying force & brought violence,” Democrat Brown tweeted.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, who is in charge of CBP and ICE, said Oregon State Police would secure a perimeter outside the court building will be stationed on the grounds with federal police.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field