Secret Police! Nazis! Storm troopers! Abducting Americans! Occupation of U.S. Cities! These are actual words and phrases taken from the headlines and captions of legacy media outlets across the country recently in regard to the law enforcement actions being taken against criminals in Portland, Oregon. The truth, though irrelevant to them and those on the left who can’t see past anything but their hatred of President Trump, is simply the story of law enforcement in America pre-2020.
On July 3, 2020, the Mayor of Portland, Ted Wheeler, tweeted in reference to the rioters in his city; “They continue to hurt small businesses owned by people of color, instill fear in communities of color, and start fires in buildings with people inside, in one specific case, even bolting emergency doors so that they could not escape.” He also tweeted; “These attacks undermine public safety in our community, and they harm the very people and businesses we need to be lifting up. I am grateful that no one has died in Portland, but other cities have not been so fortunate.”
On July 14, 2020, after the federal government sent in agents to assist with protecting federal property within the city, he tweeted. “I told the Acting Secretary (of DHS) that my biggest immediate concern is the violence federal officers brought to our streets in recent days, and the life-threatening tactics his agents use. We do not need or want their help.”
This succinctly captures the hypocrisy of democratically controlled cities who put politics above public safety and politicize the very lives of the people they are supposed to protect. The contradictory statements of Wheeler are clear in their glaring disregard of the citizens of Portland. Along with this, the disinformation campaign and the complicity of the legacy media in propagating lies with regard to the federal response is not only egregious and clearly politically motivated, but it is fueling increased hostility and putting the lives of law enforcement officers on the ground in ever increasing danger. It is unacceptable in a civil society. Apparently, civility is also a casualty of the left’s hatred for America. It is interesting, but not surprising that the only cities dealing with these anarchist rioters are democratic strongholds.
The truth is that the recent deployment of Federal Officers to Portland, which included agents from United States Border Patrol (USBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO), United States Marshals Service (USMS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was a direct result of threats and actions taken against federal buildings and properties within the city of Portland by rioters. The Federal Protective Service (FPS) is the federal agency charged with protecting these properties. FPS were completely overwhelmed and outnumbered by rioters. FPS is the same agency that had an officer shot and killed on May 29 amidst related rioting there.
It is common and longstanding practice for federal agencies to augment not only each other but state and local partners as well in times of need. It is far from a novel practice. Notably, it has been going on for decades. USBP was called upon in 1962 to assist the United States Marshals during the riots in Selma. Seventy-two agents were injured in the process of ensuring that James Meredith was allowed to exercise his civil rights and enroll at the University of Mississippi. They have also assisted stated and local agencies with incidents of national significance to include a significant deployment to the Los Angeles Riots, Krome Detention Facility riots as well as numerous fugitive manhunts over the years. One significant difference with the situation in Portland is that in all of the previously noted scenarios, state and local leaders were actually seeking an end to the lawless situations that they were dealing with and the efforts were conducted in a cooperative effort. The maintaining of law and order was the impetus, not politics.
Legacy and social media have been lighting up with stories about nameless, faceless federal agents stalking the streets of Portland rounding up people and whisking them away in “unmarked vehicles”. This story-line is being repeated continuously, day after day regardless of the fact that it has been completely debunked over and over again. It is being portrayed as some sort of black operation out of a spy novel. Oregon Governor Kate Brown tweeted,
“This is a democracy, not a dictatorship. We cannot have secret police abducting people in unmarked vehicles. I can’t believe I have to say that to the President of the United States.” This irresponsible statement only added fuel to the already dangerous vitriolic rage that exists against these agents and should be condemned by all who support law and order in America.
As usual, the truth is far less intriguing. Cities across the country likely will be seeing more of this type of activity. However, the federal response is contingent on whether or not state and local politicians continue to shirk their sworn duties as public servants and specifically whether or not they choose to carry out their top priority of maintaining law and order and the protection of their citizens. This is a fundamental role of government which is in direct support of the United States Constitution and the rights of citizens to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There are no exceptions for politically expeditious rioting, looting or destruction of government property. Where the states are malfeasant in preserving Constitutionally guaranteed rights of its citizens the Federal Government has the duty to step in and act.
The federal agents recently deployed to Portland by DHS Secretary Wolfe were sent there after 52 days of continuous rioting which included damage to multiple federal facilities by hundreds, and in some cases over a thousand rioters. This deployment was executed in accordance with 40 United States Code (USC) 1315 which authorizes and directs the Secretary of DHS to protect federal properties. Lest there be any question as to Secretary Wolf’s motive for acting, here are just some of the incidents that prompted his response.
05/29/2020
- Violent anarchists broke a front window at the Hatfield Courthouse.
- Violent anarchists graffitied the Hatfield Courthouse.
- Overall, the cost of damages on federal property done by the violent mob this first night was estimated at $5,000.
05/30/2020
- Violent anarchists graffitied the BPA Building.
- Violent anarchists graffitied the Hatfield Courthouse.
- Violent anarchists graffitied the Edith Green-Wenell Wyatt Building.
- Violent anarchists graffitied the Terry Schrunk Plaza.
- Violent anarchists graffitied the 911 Federal Building.
- Violent anarchists graffitied the Pioneer Courthouse.
- Violent anarchists graffitied the Gus J. Solomon Courthouse.
06/01/2020
- Violent anarchists graffitied the Hatfield Courthouse.
- Violent anarchists graffitied Terry Schrunk Plaza.
- Violent anarchists graffitied The Pioneer Courthouse.
- Violent anarchists graffitied The Gus J Solomon Courthouse.
06/02/2020
- Violent anarchists graffitied the U.S. Custom House.
06/06/2020
- Violent anarchists destroyed fencing surrounding federal property.
06/07/2020
- Violent anarchists damaged and breached the fence around the Hatfield Courthouse.
- Portland Police were forced to deploy crowd control spray to disperse a crowd that was throwing animal seed at officers.
06/08/2020
- Violent anarchists broke a window at the Hatfield Courthouse while pelting the building with objects.
- Violent anarchists cut a hole in the fence surrounding Hatfield Courthouse.
06/10/2020
- Violent anarchists removed the entire fence around Hatfield Courthouse and graffitied its front columns.
- Violent anarchists attempted to remove wooden barriers from a window on the Hatfield Courthouse.
06/11/2020
- Violent anarchists dismantled a section of the fence protecting the Edith Green-Wenell Wyatt Federal Building.
06/13/2020
- Violent anarchists destroyed the card reader at the Hatfield Courthouse by ripping it off its mount.
- Violent anarchists destroyed the fence at the Hatfield Courthouse.
- Violent anarchists threw metal pipes at the Hatfield Courthouse, causing Portland Police to issue a disbursal warning for unlawful assembly.
06/17/2020
- Violent anarchists graffitied the Hatfield Courthouse.
06/20/2020
- Among a group of over 400 protesters marching in front of the Pioneer Courthouse, violent anarchists attempted to cause eye damage to officers with commercial grade lasers.
- Violent anarchists graffitied the Gus J. Solomon Courthouse.
06/25/2020
- Violent anarchists vandalized an FPS camera at the Hatfield Courthouse.
- Violent anarchists breached the fence of the Justice Center, adjacent to the courthouse.
06/30/2020
- Violent anarchists ripped down plywood covering the windows at the Edith Green-Wenell Wyatt Building, before breaking the windows.
7/01/2020
- Violent anarchists graffitied new plywood covering the windows at the Hatfield Courthouse and ripped down plywood on the other side of the building.
- A group of over 200 violent anarchists blocked access to the building and proceeded to launch aerial fireworks at the federal property.
07/02/2020
- Violent anarchists broke a front window to the Hatfield Courthouse and attempted to enter the building.
- Violent anarchists refused orders to vacate the Hatfield Courthouse area, and instead launched fireworks and threw objects at officers while attempting to cause eye damage with lasers. One explosive firework was shot into the courthouse.
- FPS law enforcement officers were forced to utilized crowd control measures for safety.
07/03/2020
- After ongoing riots around the Hatfield Courthouse, crowds were dispersed only to make a return later into the night.
- Violent Anarchists broke the front window of the Hatfield U.S. Courthouse and shot fireworks into the building.
- Violent anarchists firebombed the building. Federal law enforcement extinguished the fire.
07/04/2020
- Around 1,000 violent anarchists spray painted, threw rocks, and shot fireworks (including mortar style fireworks) at the Hatfield Courthouse. They also destroyed a security camera at the facility.
o A CBP team supporting FPS at the courthouse arrested suspects from the graffiti and camera vandalism incidents.
o The mob continued to throw rocks and paint-filled balloons while attempting to breach the doors.
o Teams were forced to utilize crowd control measures for safety.
- Multiple individuals were seen carrying rifles, including the driver of a vehicle who attempted to strike a Portland Police Bureau officer with his car in front of the Hatfield Courthouse.
07/05/2020
- A hostile crowd of about 250 violent anarchists returned to the vicinity of Hatfield Courthouse to vandalize and attack numerous facilities and police, while failing to comply with a dispersal order.
- Violent anarchists surrounded and blocked law enforcement from the area as extremists proceeded to attack police with thrown projectiles and large mortar style fireworks.
- Two Portland Police Bureau officers were injured by the crowd (possible concussion).
- Portland Police Bureau took five into custody for directing lasers against aircraft.
- Violent anarchists set fires in front of Hatfield Courthouse and Chapman Park.
- At the entrance of Hatfield Courthouse, Violent Anarchists fired large fireworks and threw other dangerous objects toward the entrance and the personnel protecting it.
- The mob was pushed completely out of the area of Hatfield Courthouse; FPS made two arrests during the push.
- Portland Police made multiple arrests and found a loaded weapon on one subject.
- Two more violent anarchists were arrested, and one was found to be carrying what appears to be a pipe bomb.
- Violent anarchists assaulted construction crews by targeting them with fireworks while they repaired Hatfield Building.
- A joint team had to be deployed to create a buffer between violent anarchists and construction crew to protect construction workers.
To see a complete accounting of destruction and violence perpetrated by the “peaceful protesters” click on the following link.
The violence and destruction have continued and will continue to escalate if “the call for solidarity against the federal occupation” produces the desired response as communicated in this link. This extremely dangerous ideology is part of what is behind the violence being perpetrated against the citizens of Portland and other American cities as well as our federal officers. George who?
What started out as a purely defensive posture with officers manning security posts in order to prevent further damage to federal facilities turned into an all-out riot with violent attacks on the officers. The crowds, which at times consisted of over a thousand people showed up throwing incendiary devices, feces, bricks, concrete, ball bearings, pig parts, etc.
Recently they have also resorted to utilizing powerful handheld lasers. The rioters are shining these lasers directly into the eyes of the agents. There are currently three agents facing potentially permanent blindness due to the tactics of these “peaceful protesters”. The video that has been used to portray the mysterious and unidentified federal officers roaming the streets randomly snatching law-abiding citizens off of the streets is actually footage of agents locating and detaining a person matching the description of someone who pointed one of these lasers at agents. They were not patrolling the streets. That has not been their mission in Portland. However, they have pursued and will continue to pursue those who commit crimes against the agents or government property. That is how we do law enforcement in America. This includes the streets of Portland. It’s not as nefarious as the legacy media and politicians so desperately want you to believe, but there are many who choose to believe it with no proof or substantiation. They simply take proven liars, the mainstream media, at their word.
A laser pointed at the face of a federal agent in Portland.Dave Killen/The Oregonian via AP
There have also been shots fired at the building and several firearms to include rifles have been observed in the crowd. The anarchists have also made, and continue to make attempts at burning down the courthouse and other buildings. Yet the leftist politicians vilify our law enforcement officers, not the violent criminals.
Subsequently, and pursuant to the lawful performance of their law enforcement duties, agents have made numerous arrests based on probable cause for violations of various statutes. These include violations of 18 USC 111, assault on a federal officer, and 18 USC 1363, destruction of government property as well as others. The arrests are made. The subjects are transported and transferred to the custody of the United States Marshals Service. The federal prosecutions are handled by the United States Attorney’s Office with jurisdiction. Many of the subjects arrested recently are being charged with felony assault on a federal officer. Contrary to the false and politically motivated reporting by the legacy media, due process is alive and well among the federal agencies working to bring law and order to the city. However, due process in the media is non-existent. They have doxed our agents and portray them as the thugs. Something Mr. Sandman can clearly relate to. Yet they continue. What is the motive here?
And while our officers are risking their lives every day and being seriously injured and maimed, the relentless din of the leftist politicians continues. On Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted this with regard to what is happening in Portland: “Trump and his storm-troopers must be stopped.” What exactly must they be stopped from Mrs. Speaker? Should they be stopped from protecting federal property? Should they be stopped from arresting those who are intentionally injuring and blinding our officers doing their sworn duties to uphold the Constitution? What exactly is it that you would like to see stopped? They took up defensive positions and were attacked. You, Ma’am, are sadly misinformed and on the wrong side of history.
Then there is this issue of the mysterious unmarked law enforcement vehicles. For starters, unmarked police vehicles have been in use for many years by myriad law enforcement agencies. They are not an issue. And, if you have been watching the riots you have seen what happens to marked police vehicles in cities where these “peaceful protesters” dwell. They are torched. How long would a marked Border Patrol vehicle last in downtown Portland? It would simply be another liability that the officers would have to protect. Yet the irresponsible media puppets put their narrative-driven spin on it and serve it up as a dish of well-prepared factual truth and the sheep swallow it whole without even chewing on it. Over and over, day after day it is reported as if it is a new and frightening dark government conspiracy all while the criminals are portrayed as victims.
A recent column by Michelle Goldberg titled, “Trump’s occupation of American cities has begun” epitomizes how the left is willing to sacrifice anything, to include our law enforcement officers and the safety of their citizenry simply to discredit the President. She claims that “there is no way to know the affiliation of the agents.” This has been repeatedly debunked by various federal officials to include Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Mark Morgan. The image below is a screenshot of an article making the claim that the agents and agencies are unidentifiable:
It doesn’t take much effort to actually look at the photo, examine the uniform and see the U.S. Border Patrol patch on the left arm of the agent right where it always is and right where it has always been. This is just one example of many where media photos of these agents contradict the headlines above them. Is the legacy media that lazy or are the American people that gullible and complacent that they no longer care to verify what they are being told?
Goldberg’s article is based entirely on false assumptions and flat out lies. Yet there it is, published and consumed by the masses as if it were the truth.
I have heard various opinions with regard to what the most significant threat to America is. Some say Russia. Others say China or these anarchist groups that are pretending to be standing for something righteous. For what it is worth, none of these things pose an existential threat to America without the complicity of the American people. That complicity comes in the form of complacency. Americans who stand by and allow themselves to be lied to and don’t care enough to question anything might as well start burning their own neighborhoods, the American flag, and the Constitution and start sending their monetary contributions to Antifa. If people who read these blatant lies can’t even look at a picture and see the truth that is put right in front of them by the very people that are propagating the lies then maybe there is no hope for them. Maybe the willful ignorance and laziness are unshakable. Maybe these people are just content being the sheep. The most sincere and insidious threat to America is the complacency of its own citizenry. That is our vulnerability. That is what we must overcome to preserve freedom and our Constitution. Americans need to understand what freedom IS and consider what the unimaginable cost to attain and retain it has been before they choose to sit complacently by in front of their televisions and computer screens and watch it be given away so cheaply.
For those who are awake, have both eyes open, care about America, and what generations of patriots have sacrificed dearly for, the significance of this moment in history is clear. This is the battle of good and evil. It is not the battle of Pelosi and Trump or anybody else and Trump. It is not a political battle. It is a spiritual battle. Those who focus fomented hatred on individuals or entire ethnicities are playing right into the hands of the enemy. Who is the enemy? Don’t check your privilege. It doesn’t exist. Check your motive. There is your answer. If it is hatred, destruction, revenge, carnage, violence, or pride that are driving you. It is evil. And if you have to lie about your cause or you don’t really know why you are out there destroying America, then YOU are the problem.
These federal, state, and local officers aren’t out there doing what they do for the President. They are doing it for the American people. They do it to protect what has been bought and secured time and again with the blood of Americans. They do it because they believe we have something worth protecting and that it is worth doing. It is certainly not for the paycheck and there is no positive fame nor worthy fortune in it. There are the few bad cops, the ones that are held up and made to falsely epitomize law enforcement as a whole. Yes, they are there. But before you start throwing rocks, frozen water bottles or pointing lasers, check your own mirror, hypocrites.
John Fitzpatrick is a Freelance Writer and Consultant with a focus on border and immigration-related issues, personal security and leadership development/mentoring.
John retired from and draws on 29 years of experience with the United States Border Patrol where he held various positions during his career to include:
Associate Chief, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Headquarters Border Patrol
(A) Deputy Chief, El Paso, Texas
Division Chief Operations, Tucson, Arizona
Assistant Chief, Tucson, Arizona
Agent in Charge, Nogales, Arizona,
Spec Ops Supervisor, Prosecution Supervisor, BORTAC Tactical Team
John has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maine and completed an Advanced Management Program at the University of Chicago Booth. John has been on various church boards, been involved with community event planning, and enjoys traveling and engaging in consensus building, leadership development, and mentoring.
