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Protesters take cover as federal officers fire crowd control munitions to clear the area after protesters gathered in front of the federal courthouse in Portland Alex Milan Tracy/Sipa USA via PA Images

Tense Portland standoff with US federal police continues after mayor tear-gassed

Mayor Ted Wheeler was gassed while leading a protest against the presence of federal agents.

THE TENSE STANDOFF between demonstrators and federal police in Portland, Oregon, dragged last night after the city’s mayor was tear-gassed as he made an appearance outside a federal courthouse during raucous protests.

Mayor Ted Wheeler and hundreds of others were objecting to the presence of federal police sent by US President Donald Trump, who labelled the demonstrators as “agitators & anarchists” after Wheeler was gassed.

Meanwhile a federal judge has specifically blocked federal agents from arresting or using physical force against journalists and legal observers at the ongoing Portland protests.

The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

US Judge Michael Simon previously ruled that journalists and legal observers are exempt from police orders requiring protesters to disperse once an unlawful assembly has been declared.

Federal lawyers had said that journalists should have to leave when ordered.

“This order is a victory for the rule of law,” Jann Carson, ACLU of Oregon’s interim executive director, said in a statement.

or-portland-protest-at-the-justice-center Protesters and Federal Officers clash for the 55th straight night in Portland, Oregon Justin Katigbak / Sipa USA Justin Katigbak / Sipa USA / Sipa USA

The ACLU lawsuit is one of several filed in response to law enforcement actions during the protests.

The state of Oregon is also seeking an order limiting federal agents’ arrest powers during the demonstrations.

On Wednesday night, Wheeler, a Democrat, appeared slightly dazed and coughed and said it was the first time he had been tear-gassed.

He put on a pair of goggles someone handed him and drank water but did not leave his spot at the front of the raging demonstration.

Protesters lit a large fire between protective fencing and the Mark O Hatfield Federal Courthouse as the federal agents deployed tear gas and stun grenades into the crowd.

It was not immediately clear if the agents knew Wheeler, a 57-year-old sixth-generation Oregonian and longtime politician, was among those in crowd when they used the tear gas.

Earlier in the night, Wheeler was mostly jeered by protesters as he tried to rally the demonstrators who have clashed nightly with federal agents.

But they briefly applauded when he shouted “Black Lives Matter” and pumped his fist in the air.

or-federal-officers-tear-gas-protesters-after-mayor-speaks Mayor Ted Wheeler speaks to a massive crowd outside the Justice Center in Portland Alex Milan Tracy / Sipa USA Alex Milan Tracy / Sipa USA / Sipa USA

Trump in a tweet attempted to ridicule Wheeler, calling him the “Radical Left Mayor of Portland, who last night was booed & shouted out of existence by the agitators & anarchists”.

Wheeler has opposed federal agents’ presence in Oregon’s largest city but has also faced harsh criticism from the protesters, who yelled and swore at him.

Ignoring the pushback, Wheeler told those gathered outside the courthouse that he wanted to “thank the thousands of you who have come out to oppose the Trump administration’s occupation of this city”.

The Justice Department’s inspector general has said the agency will conduct a review of the conduct of federal agents.

Wheeler has been accused by critics, including city council members, of not reining in local police who used tear gas multiple times on anti-racism protesters before federal agents arrived.

Department of Homeland Security acting Secretary Chad Wolf denied that federal agents were inflaming the situation in Portland.

He told CBS This Morning that Wheeler legitimised criminality in the city by going to the front of the crowd of demonstrators where the fires were lit and that people were trying to pull down a fence erected to shield the federal courthouse.

Wheeler did not participate in lighting any of the fires or attempting to tear down the fence and was surrounded by his security team when he was gassed.

The mayor’s appearance in the protest zone came hours after state attorneys for Oregon urged a judge to issue a restraining order against agents deployed to clamp down on the protests.

The arguments came in a lawsuit filed by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, who accused federal agents of arresting protesters without probable cause, whisking them away in unmarked cars and using excessive force.

Federal authorities have disputed those allegations.

The motion asks US District Judge Michael Mosman to command federal agents to immediately stop detaining protesters without probable cause, identify themselves and their agency before arresting anyone, and explain why an arrest is taking place.

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    Mute Modern Irish Dad
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    Jul 24th 2020, 7:49 AM

    Fair play to the feds it’s a difficult job but somebody needs to do something in Portland this has been going on for over 50 days. Its a federal court and it’s their jurisdiction. The mayor appears not to be the smartest man in the world.

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    Mute Carryyourowncanou
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    Jul 24th 2020, 8:08 AM

    @Modern Irish Dad: It is horrendous what the feds are doing to peaceful protesting, they are the ones causing the anarchy.

    197
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    Mute Pius Flynn
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    Jul 24th 2020, 8:11 AM

    @Modern Irish Dad: nor do you.
    Power to the people.

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    Mute Modern Irish Dad
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    Jul 24th 2020, 8:30 AM

    @Carryyourowncanou: Your having a laugh if you think it’s peaceful protesting.

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    Mute Modern Irish Dad
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    Jul 24th 2020, 8:32 AM

    @Pius Flynn: What a great comment

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    Mute TL55
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    Jul 24th 2020, 8:43 AM

    @Carryyourowncanou: Peaceful? Lighting fires at a demonstration doesn’t seem peaceful to me.

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    Mute Gareth Murran
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    Jul 24th 2020, 8:44 AM

    @Modern Irish Dad: what planet are you on? This is outrageous. In any other democracy the PM would have stood down. These are dangerous times for the US.

    68
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    Mute Carryyourowncanou
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    Jul 24th 2020, 9:03 AM

    @Modern Irish Dad: many people don’t have the mental stability to be ignored, neglected and physically abused by the police / feds for doing nothing. People are bound to respond, it’s human nature.

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    Mute Modern Irish Dad
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    Jul 24th 2020, 9:18 AM

    @Gareth Murran: The absence of an effective government is a very very dangerous thing. Again this is not a peaceful protest and that is a federal court. Riots for 50+ plus days. I don’t stand by all the actions taken.

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    Mute O Hiongardail Collie
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    Jul 24th 2020, 9:38 AM

    @Carryyourowncanou: no one side to blame here. Both are poking the bee hive

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    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
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    Jul 24th 2020, 9:48 AM

    @Modern Irish Dad: could you please provide us with a credible source which will prove that there has been ” riots for 50 days in Portland” ? Cheers.

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    Mute Canyon
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    Jul 24th 2020, 9:51 AM

    @Carryyourowncanou: you do know the Feds weren’t there when this started..

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    Mute Carryyourowncanou
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    Jul 24th 2020, 9:56 AM

    @Canyon: that’s why I said police / feds.

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    Mute Modern Irish Dad
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    Jul 24th 2020, 9:59 AM

    @Francis Mc Carthy: https://youtu.be/Mtw6mx4pBfM unlawful assembly a month ago. Two days ago https://youtu.be/k_dZnhzKTlA

    33
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    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
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    Jul 24th 2020, 10:02 AM

    @Modern Irish Dad: you mentioned riots for 50 days, yes? Credible source for that claim of yours ?

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    Mute Modern Irish Dad
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    Jul 24th 2020, 10:03 AM

    @Francis Mc Carthy: and should you need a refresher https://youtu.be/kx6AqKu9QJs of what else has happened

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    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
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    Jul 24th 2020, 10:08 AM
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    Mute Modern Irish Dad
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    Jul 24th 2020, 10:10 AM

    @Francis Mc Carthy: it’s a federal court house and those business have lost a lot of money because of riots.

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    Mute Michael Burke
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    Jul 24th 2020, 10:41 AM

    @Modern Irish Dad: troll, troll, troll. There are so many aspects to this that you convenieniently overlook.

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    Mute Shamey
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    Jul 24th 2020, 11:20 PM

    @Modern Irish Dad: not reading your comments, just gonna say you have the stoopidest nom de plume I’ve seen on here…….ever….

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    Mute Modern Irish Dad
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    Jul 25th 2020, 10:01 AM

    @Shamey: Thanks for that comment, do you feel better about yourself for having said that?

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    Mute Shamey
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    Jul 25th 2020, 4:45 PM

    @Modern Irish Dad: sorry, it doesn’t make me feel better… but, and pardon the pun, blowing your own trumpet with that nom de plume is most Trump like.

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    Mute Modern Irish Dad
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    Jul 26th 2020, 11:21 PM

    @Shamey: Well thanks for taking the time to tell me that. I hope your ok now that you have let some of your anger out on a person on the internet. Stay safe

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    Mute Carryyourowncanou
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    Jul 24th 2020, 7:39 AM

    Well done to all protesters

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    Mute Daniela Monza
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    Jul 24th 2020, 8:38 AM

    Tear gassing an elected representative says all about Trump’s idea of democracy. Who is leading the federal officers should know that it’s way beyond limits. The mayor is the authority in the city he’s been elected to lead. Trump is trying to become a dictator as much as his Russian, Turkish and North Korean peers, hopefully Americans will stop him before it’s too late.

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    Mute David Clements
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    Jul 24th 2020, 9:56 AM

    @Daniela Monza: once his own entourage tear gassed a priest, it was game over for America

    29
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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jul 24th 2020, 10:44 AM

    @David Clements: to stand in front of said priest’s church for a photo op

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    Mute Mick Curran
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    Jul 24th 2020, 8:05 AM

    This action by Trump is further fermenting division within American society and its main purpose is to deflect attention from the fallout that his handling of the BLM protests and his reprehensible pandemic response has caused.
    The most benign thing one can say about this president is that he is delusional if not psychotic.

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jul 24th 2020, 8:59 AM

    So much for the land of the free

    58
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    Mute James Walsh
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    Jul 24th 2020, 6:56 PM

    @Gary Kearney: It was always a lie anyway, the freedom in question only applied to property owning white men for most of US history.

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    Mute Liam McLiam
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    Jul 24th 2020, 9:08 AM

    MAGA

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    Mute Teresa O'Halloran
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    Jul 24th 2020, 9:48 AM

    America is in a right mess.

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    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
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    Jul 24th 2020, 9:56 AM

    Doing this to your fellow American citizens is what is going to “Make America Great Again” :/

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    Mute James Walsh
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    Jul 24th 2020, 1:11 PM

    What Trump is doing is essentially no different to what theChinese regime are doing in Hong Kong.

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    Mute Thomas McGrath
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    Jul 24th 2020, 2:11 PM

    Why is this useless gs mayor not arrested for derelection of duty and supporting thugs. He is an example of what the democratic party has become, a communist infiltrated two faced nihilist self absorbed nobodies.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Jul 24th 2020, 6:27 PM

    @Thomas McGrath: a nihilist political party. Interesting concept

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    Mute James Walsh
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    Jul 24th 2020, 8:32 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: Poor old Tom just wanted to use big words to make himself feel important, unfortunately for him he understands few if any of them.

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    Mute james s
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    Jul 24th 2020, 6:12 PM

    Why are BLM protesting the feds? As far as I know it’s local police that BLM have a problem with, ie. shooting unarmed black people,all local police are controlled by local governments NOT the federal government. In fact it’s the federal government that was used to help implement civil rights laws in the sixties.

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