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Trump criticized for federal agents’ use of force against protestors

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump has come under intense criticism for his unprecedented use of Department of Homeland Security troops to quell violent protests in Democrat-run cities and in Portland especially the Washington Times reported Wednesday. Local leaders have said federal troops used “significant force” against protestors and agents without badges have taken protestors away in unmarked vehicles.

The President sent federal troops to Portland before the July 4th holiday as peaceful Black Lives Matter protests have been taking place during the day but violence, arson and vandalism have taken place at night. At least 40 protestors were arrested in the last week on charges ranging from resisting arrest to disorderly conduct, CNN reported.

On Monday, the mayor of Portland and the mayors of numerous other cities, including Seattle, Atlanta and Chicago, sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr and Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf describing the deployment of federal agents to Portland as an “abuse of power,” CNN reported.

In his retort, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said federal troops had been assaulted by protestors themselves and accused Portland of taking “little to no action.” Wolf also said those who commit vandalism are not legitimate protestors.

However, former Homeland Security officials suggested it was inappropriate for these federal agents to be deployed in Portland. “Urban policing and crowd control and civil unrest isn’t something that is in their wheelhouse,” Gil Kerlikowske, a former commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection under President Barack Obama told the Washington Times. “It’s not something they are trained for. It’s not something they have any experience or expertise in.”

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