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For another view, can read the comments of Disqus user JLM at the blog https://continuations.com/post/624305968188145664/help-stop-fascism https://continuation

For another view, can read the comments of Disqus user JLM at the blog https://continuations.com/post/624305968188145664/help-stop-fascism https://continuations.com/post/624305968188145664/help-stop-... There the relevant law is quoted and explained. So, in short, the DHS has the FPS (Federal Protective Service), and their job is > "... safeguarding Federal owned and leased facilities and has been since 1790. The FPS is part of the DHS. ... The Customs and Border Protection unit is legally supporting the Federal Protective Service because the particular unit -- the Border Patrol Tactical Unit -- BORTAC -- is highly trained in riot control operations." There are lots more details by JLM there including quotes of the relevant laws, e.g., 40 USC 1315. So, the FPS was in Portland to protect Federal property as in 40 USC 1315. In simplest terms, the Federal work there in Portland was protecting Federal property. Policing Portland in general was not part of the work. The article mentioned "secret police": To set that aside, just read the JLM quotes and explanations of the laws.

defnotashton2 6y ago
Except they are blocks away from the courthouse.
- graycat 6y ago
  There's an explanation for that, good, bad, or otherwise. The claim is that they didn't want to dive into an angry, violent, dense mob to arrest people because that would be dangerous. For an arrest away from the action, all I saw was one video clip. For how general that was, I saw no information. I was concerned about that one video clip, but without more information I'm ready to set it aside as poor judgment, a mistake, a one time thing, or some such. I need more information. But, still, broadly, the "FPS" was not there, in either theory or practice, for the scary reason, Federal forces, not wanted in Portland, inserted to police the city, etc. Even given the one video clip, the FPS was clearly not policing the city. And for protecting the Federal courthouse, they were not over doing it since the courthouse was significantly damaged. Can read the reference I gave and conclude that the FPS, CBP, and DHS were just doing what the laws said they were supposed to do. For the laws, does anyone have any better ideas how the Feds can protect Fed property? Uh, supposedly that is actually not the job of the local police, that usually there is an agreement that the line is the center line on the street in front of the Fed building with the FPS on their side and local police on the other. IMHO the Portland case does not look like some start on Federal secret police. For the Chicago case, as best as I can see from the media, the Feds are there just to help local police with murder, etc. investigations and not on the street police work and were invited in by the mayor of Chicago.

defnotashton2 6y ago

Except they are blocks away from the courthouse.

graycat 6y ago
There's an explanation for that, good, bad, or otherwise. The claim is that they didn't want to dive into an angry, violent, dense mob to arrest people because that would be dangerous. For an arrest away from the action, all I saw was one video clip. For how general that was, I saw no information. I was concerned about that one video clip, but without more information I'm ready to set it aside as poor judgment, a mistake, a one time thing, or some such. I need more information. But, still, broadly, the "FPS" was not there, in either theory or practice, for the scary reason, Federal forces, not wanted in Portland, inserted to police the city, etc. Even given the one video clip, the FPS was clearly not policing the city. And for protecting the Federal courthouse, they were not over doing it since the courthouse was significantly damaged. Can read the reference I gave and conclude that the FPS, CBP, and DHS were just doing what the laws said they were supposed to do. For the laws, does anyone have any better ideas how the Feds can protect Fed property? Uh, supposedly that is actually not the job of the local police, that usually there is an agreement that the line is the center line on the street in front of the Fed building with the FPS on their side and local police on the other. IMHO the Portland case does not look like some start on Federal secret police. For the Chicago case, as best as I can see from the media, the Feds are there just to help local police with murder, etc. investigations and not on the street police work and were invited in by the mayor of Chicago.