Portland protesters, officers clash on 60th day

Portland protesters, officers clash on 60th day

[NFA] Tensions remained high in Portland, Oregon for the 60th straight day of anti-racism protests, after six U.S. mayors on Monday urged Congress to halt President Donald Trump's deployment of federal forces to their cities.

This report produced by Jillian Kitchener.

Federal officers fired tear gas to disperse protesters in the early hours of Tuesday, as tensions were high on the streets of Portland for the 60th straight day.

This - after a gathering of demonstrators stood chanting: (“I can’t breathe”)… enraged over the death of George Floyd after a police officer pressed a knee into his neck while detaining him.

Fireworks were thrown toward the federal courthouse in Portland, according to local tv, which also reported the arrest of at least one person - led away in a Homeland Security vehicle.

Federal agents here have drawn national attention for whisking away demonstrators in unmarked cars, beating a U.S. Navy veteran and tear-gassing activist mothers and the city's mayor.

On Monday - six Democratic mayors urged Congress to halt President Donald Trump's deployment of federal forces to their respective cities, saying the move has escalated tensions at anti-racism protests.

The appeal came on the same day the U.S. attorney for Oregon announced the arrest of 22 people on charges stemming from clashes with federal and local police at the federal courthouse in Portland.

Trump has said that federal forces are necessary to restore order to cities such as Portland.

The U.S. Marshals Service on Monday tweeted it was lining up personnel to send to Oregon… “in case they were needed.”