During an interview with CBS News on Monday, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) stated that in Portland, “the criminal activity in the last couple of days has been counterprotesters having arguments and fights with protesters, and I think that what’s happening with the federal agents in the building, what they are doing and how they are approaching the situation is actually escalating it. I would ask them to stand back and focus on de-escalating the situation,” and local law enforcement is handling the protests just fine.
Kotek said, “[T]his set of demonstrations that are happening are managed by local law enforcement, as they should be. People have the right to lawfully protest, but if they cross the line, they are being held accountable. If criminal activity occurs, they are being held accountable. This is what free speech looks like, and I believe the federal government can continue to do the work here. The president just doesn’t have the right information, Portland is safe, it’s a beautiful city, and we know how to lawfully protest in Oregon.”
She added, “The ongoing demonstrations, in front of this building, a lot of folks are hanging out, exercising their free speech. Now, there are counterdemonstrators coming in and the criminal activity in the last couple of days has been counterprotesters having arguments and fights with protesters, and I think that what’s happening with the federal agents in the building, what they are doing and how they are approaching the situation is actually escalating it. I would ask them to stand back and focus on de-escalating the situation, because it is not coming from the folks who are demonstrating.”
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