No Legal Charges for Arrested Portland Protesters Under New Policy

Arrested Portland protesters will not be prosecuted, says Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt on Tuesday.

The protesters were arrested in the past 80 days of demonstrations. The new policy applies to non-violent misdemeanors done during the protests taking place in Oregon's largest city.

Schmid told Fox News that the protesters are angry and deeply frustrated with what they see as a structural inequity in the society. He added that this frustration could result in levels that violate the law.

Schmidt added that the new policy considers those centuries of unequal treatment between the black and brown communities, which have left a deep wound and that the healing process will not be easy or quick.

The new policy revokes charges against people who were arrested for interfering with a peace officer or parole and probation officer. This also includes disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, harassment, escape, and riot.

These are qualified unless they were accompanied by some other physical violence or property damage.

Hundred of people who have been arrested will not face criminal prosecution, according to Schmidt's office.

In The Guardian report, Schmidt added that people who will be arrested in similar charges would not be criminally prosecuted in future demonstrations.

However, Portland's police chief Chuck Lovell, said that the new policy did not change Oregon law and held accountable people who committed violent acts or intentionally damaged property.

Lovell said that committing a crime is far from protesting.

"The arrests we make often come after hours of damage to private property, disruption of public transit and traffic on public streets, thefts from small businesses, arson, burglary, attacks on members of the community, and attacks against police officers." Lovell was quoted in The Guardian report.

Portland Demonstrations

Protests and demonstrations are still taking over in Portland, Oregon, for over two months now.

The protests began at the end of May, which started after the recorded video police killing 46-year-old George Floyd in Minneapolis began circulating.

The Portland demonstrations took the United States' attention when Trump administration deployed federal officials to the city, which caused more tensions between law enforcement and protesters.

The deployment includes a team of authorities from Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Protective Service.

This also includes the Coast Guard, according to an Insider report.

Gov. Kate Brown said the deployment was an apparent abuse of power, and the state's attorney general is suing the Department of Homeland Security.

A criminal investigation has also ensued after a protester was injured.

Federal officers were reported to have used tear gas, smoke bombs, stun grenades, and sometimes brutal force to break up demonstrations.

Around 550 protest-related cases have been brought to Schmidt's office since May 29. Out of 559 cases, only 133 were considered to be felonies.

More than 350 were misdemeanors or violations that do not include physical violence.

Schmidt said his office is experiencing a backlog due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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