What's happening in Oregon?

[delicatemoth]

This may have been touched on in other threads, but it kind of deserves its own. Portland, Oregon, appears to be being treated as a test bed for the terrorisation of American citizens by unmarked and unaccountable government forces (yes, I know this sounds like the X-Files).

https://www.opb.org/news/article/fed..._CwH4w.twitter

[ursus arctos]

I'm afraid that that is basically what is happening there.

These shadowy, unidentified, non-uniformed federal forces (who may be from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Prisons and/or one of Barr's other heretofore little known stores of paramilitaries) are roaming the streets at will and disappearing people in the name of Trump's Executive Order to protect federal property and statues. The Department of Homeland Security (all of these names sound even more serious under the circumstances) put out an unhinged "report" the other day blaming "violent anarchists" for what were essentially a series of graffiti incidents.

And they are doing so notwithstanding the opposition of the mayor and other local officials.

It is profoundly troubling, even by current USian standards.

[matt j]

There is also the possibility that some of these captured on film are actually these forces picking up their 'undercovers' from the protests.

Both possibilities are very bad, by all normal standards.

[ursus arctos]

From the Governor of Oregon

https://twitter.com/oregongovbrown/status/1283913151700860928

[Incandenza]

Have to think that doing this in Portland is an obvious message, and that they're targeting people there because of the city's politics and regular protests.

[ursus arctos]

And because of the implicit support they will get from local law enforcement

[Snake Plissken]

It's OK. I reckon those militias that have been preparing for a Government that is literally acting like a secret police force and arbitrarily detaining citizens for no reason will be out in force...any... time... now...

[Nefertiti2]

A suggested motivation

https://twitter.com/grouchybagels/status/1284133439726407680?s=20

[Nefertiti2]

https://twitter.com/joshuapotash/status/1284704272282800128?s=21

[ursus arctos]

A proper Argentine reaction to people being disappeared in unmarked vehicles

[Nefertiti2]

I was wondering about making that comparison. Thought it’s probably not mine to make- but if a US citizen makes it I can only
agree..

[ursus arctos]

Some useful context from the Oregonian in this thread (click through to read the whole thing).

https://twitter.com/davidminpdx/status/1284689816269942785

[Incandenza]

[URL]https://twitter.com/IwriteOK/status/1285069430666326016[/URL]

[S. aureus]

Trump to send federal forces to more 'Democrat' cities

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-g...-idUSKCN24L1I1

[Incandenza]

Trump, a Republican, cited New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore and Oakland, California, as places to send federal agents, noting the cities’ mayors were “liberal Democrats.”

Funny how liberal cities like Austin, Boston, Madison WI, etc. didn't get singled out. I guess there's just something that Detroit, Oakland, and Baltimore have in common...

[Nefertiti2]

This is astonishing -though I take Inca’s point above

https://twitter.com/drericding/status/1285429795841609730?s=21

[Incandenza]

that is so good.

[ursus arctos]

Indeed it is, and it appears to have given the Administration some pause with regard to sending the Feds into Chicago, Baltimore, Oakland, etc.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Dammit. Those anarchists are so well organised! They send their women out to protest for them.

[Nefertiti2]

[

eh?

https://twitter.com/llchristyll/status/1285633863662936070?s=21

[Levin]

They really are aiming for the eyes aren't they? It's made me consider buying some ballistic glasses, just in case. Not that I'm ever likely to need them in the UK.

[Nefertiti2]

You’re more confident than I am.

[Tactical Genius]

The free world is looking more and more like mid noughties Baghdad.

https://twitter.com/Ruptly/status/12...499554307?s=20

[Bored Of Education]

Apologies if this has been covered already. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-g..._K0Rz3V2M0eOwk

[Satchmo Distel]

Will Oregon's Attorney General be successful in getting a ruling instructing the DHS to pull back its agents?