Portland Will Not Pursue Charges Against Peaceful Black Lives Matter Protesters

Prosecutors in and around Portland, Oregon, said they would not pursue criminal charges against peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters and anyone protesting peacefully “deserves to be heard.” The statements come after over 70 days of protests in the city following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.

“As prosecutors, we acknowledge the depth of emotion that motivates these demonstrations and support those who are civically engaged through peaceful protesting,” Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said in a press release. “We recognize that we undermine public safety, not promote it, if we leverage the force of our criminal justice system against peaceful protesters who are demanding to be heard.”

Since protests began in the city, Schmidt said his office has been referred around 550 cases against arrested protesters, but “considerations” needed to be given going forward.

“Consideration should be given to the chaos of a protesting environment, especially after tear gas or other less-lethal munitions have been deployed against protesters en masse,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt’s comment is in reference to the ongoing use of less-lethal munitions used against protesters across the U.S., which spiked in Portland during July. Many say the spike was the result of the deployment of federal agents into the city by President Trump in an attempt to quell protests, which many said were dying down beforehand. The decision proved to have an adverse effect as protests spiked after reports of uniformed agents detaining protesters in unmarked vehicles were reported.

Federal agents have since been withdrawn from the city and protests have continued in downtown Portland near state and federal buildings. Some protests have remained peaceful but other protests have turned chaotic, leading to more arrests.

Schmidt said it's those violent acts committed during the protests without provocation from authorities will not be tolerated and anyone caught in the act will be charged accordingly. He said these would include assault, arson, disorderly conduct, or criminal trespassing.