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This month, federal agents in unmarked vans detained at least two Portland protesters, and appeared to do so using privately rented vehicles, according to records obtained by WW. On Friday, July 17, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum filed a lawsuit against the federal government for seizing and detaining Portlanders without probable cause, and announced a criminal investigation into the injury of Donovan LaBella, who was shot in the face by a U.S. Marshals Service officer with a munition. A federal judge rejected her request for a temporary restraining order. (Disclosure: Rosenblum is married to the co-owner of WW's parent company.) WW reported the news on wweek.com. Here's what our readers had to say.
Dustin Vifquain via Facebook: "Just secret federal agents kidnapping people protected by the First Amendment off the street, what could go wrong?"
@bcpdxwriter1via Twitter: "Why hasn't Chad Wolf been arrested for crossing state lines to incite riots?"
Michelle Tafoya via Facebook: "Get an emergency restraining order. People are going to get hurt."
@thejoeportland via Twitter: "They aren't arresting protesters."
@DenverLadyBug via Twitter: "I think your point is that they were arresting someone for doing something illegal. Even if that's true, we have constitutional rights that must be upheld during an arrest. Unidentified men in unmarked vans is regime-type behavior."
@shaneashby via Twitter: "It isn't just 'regime-type' behavior. It is extrajudicial and unconstitutional. It is regime behavior."
Mattie Lee via Facebook: "Folks don't like protesting because they can't ignore it like they do police brutality."
Brandon via wweek.com: "Do you think I went to Afghanistan because bin Laden spray-painted the Twin Towers and built a fire in Central Park? Stop with the hyperbole. Just because someone does something you don't agree with, doesn't make them a terrorist. All calling them a terrorist does is make it easier for you to justify why you believe feds rounding up people with whom you disagree is a good thing."
Zach Baldwin via Facebook: "Recent events have been very disturbing. America cares more about property than its people. And on top of that, now we have secret police."
Gary Weiss via wweek.com: "Walking to public transportation is not destructive and is what the victim was doing when he was kidnapped. When the government acts like a terrorist organization, it will be treated like one."
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Submit to: 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210.
Email: mzusman@wweek.com