this is scary

DHS secretary justifies unmarked federal agents snatching people in Portland with photos of graffiti

July 17, 2020

.polaris__post-meta--date { display: none; } .polaris__post-meta--date.no-script { display: block; padding-left: 45px } July 17, 2020

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf is defending a disturbing scene in Portland, Oregon, by brandishing a not-so-disturbing reality.

After President Trump sent an unknown number of federal agents to Portland to supposedly protect property, residents started sharing videos of unmarked agents detaining people off the streets with no explanation. Wolf defended those agents in a Friday tweet thread by sharing examples of what he said "violent extremists" were doing in the city: spraying graffiti, apparently. He then showed photos of those agents dressed in camouflage, which wouldn't actually do its job given the rainbow-painted environment.

These valiant men and women have defended our institutions of justice against violent anarchists for 48 straight days. We will prevail. pic.twitter.com/Qo9XoCyH2N
— Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 17, 2020

Federal agents have been reported "detaining people on Portland streets who aren't near federal property," and it isn't "clear that all of the people being arrested have engaged in criminal activity," OPB reported Thursday evening. Videos have shown people being detained and taken into unmarked vehicles with these officers, with bystanders given no explanation for the arrests.