Posted on 08/28/2020 5:45:36 PM PDT by ransomnote
U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that 74 people are facing federal charges for crimes committed adjacent to or under the guise of peaceful demonstrations in Portland since at least May 29, 2020.
For more than 90 consecutive nights, Portland has been home to large demonstrations and protests against police use of force and anti-Black racism. On many nights, after peaceful demonstrations end, various public and private buildings have been the target of vandalism and destruction. Local, state, and federal law enforcement working to protect these buildings and ensure the safety of peaceful demonstrators have been subjected to threats and assaults from violent agitators while performing their duties.
“Violent agitators have hijacked any semblance of First Amendment protected activity, engaging in violent criminal acts and destruction of public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners are expeditiously working with local and state law enforcement to identify, arrest, and prosecute these individuals that are disrupting the rule of law in our communities and physically attacking our law enforcement officers and destroying property. Violent agitators not only delay real reform, but make our community less safe by keeping law enforcement from responding to other critical calls for service.”
“While the FBI supports and safeguards Constitutionally-protected activity and civil rights, there is no permit for assault, arson or property damage and these are not victimless crimes,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “Among the victims of violent crime are business owners, residents and individuals exercising their First Amendment rights through protests or other legitimate forms of expression.”
“The nightly violence has to stop,” said Russel Burger, U.S. Marshal for the District of Oregon. “It is drowning out the voices of the many who are calling for change, and pulling police resources away from their primary mission of keeping this community safe. We must all come together to find a productive way to move forward.”
“As the nation’s primary source for fire investigative knowledge, ATF remains committed to investigating those responsible for committing arsons in our communities and holding them responsible for their illegal actions,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jonathan McPherson. “As a reminder, there is a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for arson. ATF takes these violent actions seriously and will work diligently to bring justice to the victims.”
“It is vitally important that all Americans have the ability to exercise their first amendment rights to freedom of speech,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Seattle Eben Roberts. “Unfortunately, much of what we’re seeing in Portland is the antithesis of that. Instead tragic events are being used as excuses for individuals with ill intent disguising themselves as activists to commit violent crimes against their communities and law enforcement officers. Progress can only be made if community leaders, law enforcement and the public come together in the name of social change, justice and peace.”
Since May 26, 2020, federal law enforcement authorities have arrested 100 people for crimes committed during local demonstrations. Seventy-four face federal charges, including felonies, misdemeanors, and citation violations. Crimes include assaults on federal officers, some resulting in serious injuries; arson and attempted arson; damaging federal government property; failing to obey lawful orders; and unlawful use of a drone; among others.
Charged defendants include:
Eleven others have been issued citation violations. All defendants, unless noted, are presumed to be local residents.
Several of the charges being used to prosecute violent agitators carry significant maximum prison sentences. For example, felony assault of a federal officer with a dangerous weapon is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Arson is punishable by up to 20 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years.
It is important to note that while some federal charges require crimes be committed on federal property, others do not. Violent acts committed throughout the city of Portland under the guise of peaceful protest are being evaluated by local federal prosecutors for prosecution.
These cases are being investigated by the FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and Federal Protective Service. They are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Indictments, complaints, and informations are only accusations of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
To help identify actors who are actively instigating violence in the city of Portland, the FBI is accepting tips and digital media depicting violent encounters during demonstrations. If you have witnessed unlawful violent actions, we urge you to submit any information, photos, or videos that could be relevant to investigations at fbi.gov/PDViolence.
Specifically, the FBI is assisting partner agencies by asking for the public’s help in identifying individuals who participated in or may have been a witness to criminal activity at the following locations:
Tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or (503) 224-4181. They can also be submitted online by visiting: tips.fbi.gov.
Betcha they have The Sadz...
Seems like the Civil Society would benefit from all of these peeps being out of circulation for the next 4 years.
First to squeal gets the deal.
Means nothing. Some filthy Obama/Bush/Clinton judge will let them skate. Why bother.
There are a lot of WASP names on that list.
That looks like a collection of weak charges given we’ve had 90 days of this crap and the destruction of federal property is enormous.
No charges for riot or inciting g riot? No charges for kcrossing stare lines to riot or incite riot? Only four charged with arson?
How many are in jail awaiting trial? How many let off on OR? How many let go with small bail amounts?
They need to get solid proof against the people in the shadows that are bank rolling this. Paying unemployed kids is expensive. Providing food is expensive. Supplying fireworks is expensive. Providing uniforms is expensive. Providing armor is expensive. Providing training is expensive.
I think I see a preponderance of non Anglo ethnic names.
That’s 74 less than will be on the street for the next riot.
Attrition them into irrelevance.
Yup. Money and planning are behind these troubles. They're not spontaneous.
I'm betting the trail leads right back to the DNC, or to the deep pockets that prop up the DNC.
The Barbarian hopes — and that is the mark of him, that he can have his cake and eat it too.He will consume what civilization has slowly produced after generations of selection and effort, but he will not be at pains to replace such goods, nor indeed has he a comprehension of the virtue that has brought them into being. Discipline seems to him irrational, on which account he is ever marvelling that civilization, should have offended him with priests and soldiers.... In a word, the Barbarian is discoverable everywhere in this, that he cannot make: that he can befog and destroy but that he cannot sustain; and of every Barbarian in the decline or peril of every civilization exactly that has been true.We sit by and watch the barbarian. We tolerate him in the long stretches of peace, we are not afraid. We are tickled by his irreverence; his comic inversion of our old certitudes and our fixed creed refreshes us; we laugh. But as we laugh we are watched by large and awful faces from beyond, and on these faces there are no smiles.
― Hilaire Belloc
17 “failing to obey a lawful order” charges.
At the state and municipal level, that’s a misdemeanor known as “contempt of cop.”
That will scare the daylights out of them! Maybe a conviction means they won’t be able to land a job. That’ll scare them even more.
I vote for 40 years.
When the founder has billions, it’s all chump change.
Gee, this looks like the cast from the movie “When Amish Run Wild”. /sarc
That is a great passage. That made me look up Belloc’s entire essay.it is brilliant. Thanks for posting that.
I hope “assaulting a federal officer” includes assault by shining 5w lasers into their eyes. Among the various ways for assault, this to me is particularly troubling - especially cowardly, as it was done by “backbenchers”, and extremely harmful to all outdoor fed officers.
Supplying fireworks is very expensive. I helped supply fireworks to our local HOA several years ago. $100 worth were shot off in no more than 2 minutes.
Gratified to not see any relative names among the charged.
(Never been to Portland, but I know they live there!)
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