PORTLAND, OR – The American Civil Liberties Union announced on Tuesday that a settlement was reached between the Department of Justice and rioters, including Antifa and Black Lives Matter-affiliated demonstrators, who engaged in violent and illegal actions that destabilized Portland in 2020.
The lawsuit centered on allegations that federal agents deployed by the Trump Administration used excessive force against demonstrators. The ACLU accused federal law enforcement of “beating, shooting, and abducting” individuals, branding their actions as “unlawful and aggressive,” according to the Associated Press.
Over a span of 90 days in 2020, local police arrested hundreds of protesters, while federal agents detained approximately 100 individuals. Authorities responded to escalating violence with non-lethal crowd-control measures such as tear gas, rubber bullets, and pepper spray. Despite these tactics, the ACLU referred to these as “chemical weapons” and condemned their use.
ACLU of Oregon Legal Director Kelly Simon stated that those arrested “suffered serious injuries because of federal law enforcement’s unlawful, aggressive actions,” claiming it was “just and fair” that they receive compensation. She added, “Our clients and all people who stood up for Black lives and against government tyranny.”
According to journalist Andy Ngo, known for documenting Antifa activities, the settlement was finalized in the final days of the Biden Administration’s control over the Department of Justice.
During the height of the rioting, The New York Post reported that demonstrators—many of whom were affiliated with Antifa—used slingshots to launch projectiles, including rocks, fireworks, and glass bottles, at law enforcement. Some hurled incendiary devices through the windows of the Portland Federal Courthouse. The report described protesters as “very hostile and violent” toward the police.
A July 2020 Department of Homeland Security bulletin stated that Portland had experienced “over 50 straight nights of criminal violence perpetrated by anarchists targeting city and federal properties and those that inhabit them.” Portland’s mayor at the time, Ted Wheeler, admitted that violence had been ongoing for more than a month and called for an end to the “nightly violence.”
DHS defended its response to accusations of infringing on the rights of peaceful protesters, stating, “Unfortunately, violent criminal activity is occurring in Portland. Between the hours of midnight and 5:00 a.m. every morning, well-organized criminal acts of violence and destruction of property (federal, public, and private) are taking place. These criminal anarchists have attempted to burn down and cause extreme damage to the federal courthouse and harm law enforcement officers.”
The Associated Press reported that as part of the settlement, the federal government agreed to compensate individuals for injuries sustained during the riots, though specific amounts were not disclosed. Plaintiffs included a college professor and several Black Lives Matter activists.
A federal report cited by the AP, conducted by the Biden Administration, found that “DHS was unprepared to effectively execute cross-component activities in Portland.” DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari noted that some officers lacked proper training, equipment, and standardized uniforms or tactics.
During the deployment between July 13 and 30, 2020, of the 755 federal agents sent to Portland, 639 were injured. Many suffered blurred vision and headaches from lasers used by rioters, temporary hearing loss from fireworks and mortar explosives, and injuries from projectiles, including steel balls, rocks, and frozen bottles. Molotov cocktails were also deployed against federal agents.
The unrest in Portland in 2020 remains one of the most prolonged and destructive waves of rioting in recent U.S. history, with Antifa playing a significant role in organizing and executing violent attacks against law enforcement and federal property.
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