Portland mayor tear-gassed by federal agents at protest

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler reacts after being exposed to tear gas fired by federal officers while attending a protest against police brutality and racial injustice in front of the Mark O. Hat
(Image credit: Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Protesters in Portland, Oregon, were reportedly tear-gassed by federal agents on Wednesday night — as was the city's mayor.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler on Wednesday joined a crowd of protesters in the city and ended up being "left coughing and wincing" after federal officers deployed tear gas into the crowd, The New York Times reports.

"It stings," Wheeler told the Times. "It's hard to breathe. And I can tell you with 100 percent honesty, I saw nothing which provoked this response. It's nasty stuff. I'm not afraid, but I am pissed off."

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According to CNN, there "is nothing to indicate the mayor was targeted" by the tear gas.

Protests have been ongoing in Portland since the police killing of George Floyd, and a recent report from OPB detailed how federal agents in the area had been "detaining people on Portland streets who aren't near federal property, nor is it clear that all of the people being arrested have engaged in criminal activity." In the wake of these reports, President Trump on Wednesday announced he'd be deploying "hundreds" of federal agents to Chicago and "other cities."

As OPB reports, Wheeler when joining the Portland protesters was met with boos and calls to resign from office. He told the demonstrators that the "tactics that have been used by our federal officers are abhorrent." Brendan Morrow

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.