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Portland mayor tear gassed by federal agents, booed by some protesters

Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) was tear gassed by federal agents outside the city's federal courthouse on Wednesday night during another night of mass protests, AP reports.

Why it matters: Wheeler denounced the actions of federal agents, whose presence he opposes, as an "egregious overreaction" and an ineffective strategy for de-escalating the more than 50 days of protests that have ensued since the death of George Floyd. But Wheeler was mocked by some protesters who were infuriated by the city police's own use of tear gas against the early demonstrations.

  • Protesters called for Wheeler to resign and drowned out many of his remarks with boos and insults, with some throwing objects and chanting, “Tear Gas Teddy," the New York Times reports.

The big picture: President Trump announced Wednesday that federal agencies would send a "surge" of officers to Chicago and Albuquerque to combat violent crime, a move that has drawn backlash among Democrats as Trump seeks to reinforce his "law and order" message ahead of the election.

What they're saying: "You have radical-left Democrats running cities like Chicago," Trump said at his Wednesday coronavirus briefing. "There’ll be a time when they’re going to want us to go in full blast, but right now we’re sending extra people to help. We’re arresting a lot of people that have been very bad."

Flashback: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was booed out of a peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration in early June after he told organizers that he would not commit to abolishing the city's police.

Go deeper: Protests swell in Portland, as Trump threatens to send federal agents to Democratic cities

Go deeper

Marisa Fernandez
Oct 1, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Pelosi: Trump's behavior at debate is "what keeps me up at night"

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at a press briefing Thursday that President Trump's comments about the far-right Proud Boys and his refusal to commit to accepting the election results at the presidential debate are the kinds of things that keep her up at night.

The big picture: Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress called for Trump to explicitly condemn white supremacist and far-right extremists after his comments sparked outrage. On Wednesday, Trump denied knowing the group and said he has "always denounced any form" of white supremacism.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Jonathan Swan
1 hour ago - Politics & Policy
Off the Rails

Episode 4: Trump turns on Barr

Photo illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios. Photos: Drew Angerer, Pool/Getty Images

Beginning on election night 2020 and continuing through his final days in office, Donald Trump unraveled and dragged America with him, to the point that his followers sacked the U.S. Capitol with two weeks left in his term. Axios takes you inside the collapse of a president with a special series.

Episode 4: Trump torches what is arguably the most consequential relationship in his Cabinet.

Attorney General Bill Barr stood behind a chair in the private dining room next to the Oval Office, looming over Donald Trump. The president sat at the head of the table. It was Dec. 1, nearly a month after the election, and Barr had some sharp advice to get off his chest. The president's theories about a stolen election, Barr told Trump, were "bullshit."

Go deeper (6 min. read)Arrow
Rebecca Falconer
6 hours ago - Politics & Policy

In photos: Protests outside fortified capitols draw only small groups

Armed members of the far-right extremist group the Boogaloo Bois near the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing on Jan. 17. About 20 protesters showed up, AP notes. Photo: Seth Herald/AFP via Getty Images

Small groups of protesters gathered outside fortified statehouses across the U.S. over the weekend ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration Wednesday.

The big picture: Some protests attracted armed members of far-right extremist groups but there were no reports of clashes, as had been feared. The National Guard and law enforcement outnumbered demonstrators, as security was heightened around the U.S. to avoid a repeat of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots, per AP.

See photos (<1 min. read)Arrow