Thousands of protesters gathered outside the federal courthouse in Portland, Ore., into the early hours of Saturday, shooting fireworks at the building as plumes of tear gas, dispensed by US agents, lingered above. The demonstration went on for hours until federal agents entered the crowd around 2:30am and marched in a line down the street, clearing remaining protesters with tear gas at close range, per the AP. They also extinguished a large fire in the street outside the courthouse. The Federal Protective Service had declared the gathering as "an unlawful assembly" and said that officers had been injured. As the crowd dispersed, someone was found stabbed nearby, Portland police said. The person was taken to a hospital and a suspect was taken into custody. By 3am, most demonstrators had left with only some small groups roaming the streets.
Earlier Friday night, the protest had drawn various organized groups, including Healthcare Workers Protest, Teachers Against Tyrants, Lawyers for Black Lives, and the "Wall of Moms." Authorities estimate there were 3,000 present at the peak of the protest, heard chanting "Black Lives Matter" and "Feds, go home." The federal agents, deployed by President Trump to tamp down unrest, have arrested dozens during nightly protests against racial injustice that often turn violent. It was unclear whether anyone was arrested during this protest. The Portland clashes have further inflamed the nation's political tensions and triggered a crisis over the limits of federal power as Trump moves to send US officers to other Democratic-led cities. Democratic leaders in Oregon say federal intervention has worsened the two-month crisis. More here, including on the state AG's lawsuit accusing federal agents of arresting protesters without probable cause and using excessive force.
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