As it turns out, the badge-free, unidentified men in gas masks prowling Portland’s streets and dragging people into unmarked vans aren’t arresting people at random. They’re arresting people who might do something wrong. In the future. At least, that’s the story that came from never confirmed by the Senate or even actually nominated Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf. In an interview on Fox News, Wolf complained: “Because we don't have that local support, that local law enforcement support, we are having to go out and proactively arrest individuals, and we need to do that because we need to hold them accountable.” Individuals are being “proactively” arrested, to hold them accountable, for … future crimes.
Considering that Wolf has previously pushed a list of spray painting incidents as the sole justification for invading a city over objections of both the mayor and governor, claimed that his goon squad was “assaulted by lasers” wielded by “violent criminals,” and posted an image of someone with a small cut on their ankle as an example of the violence of protesters right after his crew had been filmed gassing and beating a group of concerned local moms, the idea that he might defend his operation by invoking a claim of doing pre-crime isn’t all that surprising. But there’s another phrase that works in place of arresting someone “proactively.” It’s called “without cause.”
Actually, it’s wrong to call what Wolf’s team is doing in Portland arresting anyone. Arrest is a legal process, bound by requirements imposed by decades of court rulings and laws. What’s going on in Portland isn’t arrest. It’s just illegal detention. Extraordinary rendition. Plain old kidnapping.
Many of these people aren’t being charged, or informed of their rights, or offered legal counsel. They’re just being taken, held, then let go … eventually. As ABC News reports, a small number have been charged. Which definitely pleases Donald Trump. “They grab them,” said Trump. “A lot of people in jail." Despite different numbers thrown around by Department of Homeland Security (DHS), there appear to be 18 people who have actually been charged. 15 are facing misdemeanor charges. The assault charges include the use of “laser pointers” and a woman who pushed back using a “flimsy plastic shield.”
The one serious case of assault seems to involve a mentally-impaired homeless man who defended himself against the DHS forces with a hammer. He is literally the only person being held in jail, no matter how many times Trump claims there are “a lot of people.”
Donald Trump’s secret police are attacking people because they provided medical assistance.
Because they drew on a sidewalk with chalk.
Because they tried to protect others.
Because they were driving past. Or trying to film their actions.
The 54 nights of protest in Portland haven’t been conducted purely by angels with the purest of purposes. There have been genuine incidents of violence. There have been genuine efforts to engage in destruction. There have been people, including numerous members of the far-right, on hand with the intention of hijacking protests that began with concerns about police violence toward Black people, and turning them into chaos that justified further violence.
But the presence of unaccountable, illegal federal forces in the city has made every single aspect of that worse. These men in camo aren’t fighting the lawlessness. They’re the official endorsement of chaos and clear signals that it’s open season on the rule of law. What they’re doing to the city of Portland, and the nation, is a wound on the whole system of justice … and it’s not just a scratch on the ankle.
