Of course, Chief Lovell should have really been saying this almost 100 days ago when the riots started
Portland’s police chief called out local politicians after another night of riots in the city.
On Tuesday, Police Chief Chuck Lovell released a statement, saying “our elected officials need to do their part to draw a line in the sand and to hold people accountable.”
Protests in the city have repeatedly turned violent, and on Monday the unrest was formally declared a riot, giving police expanded powers to control it.
“The violent behavior must end,” Lovell said in his statement.
Lovell didn’t specify which elected officials he meant. (snip)
Insider contacted the Portland Police Bureau for clarification on which elected officials Lovell meant, but did not immediately receive a response.
Well, that would pretty much be most, if not all, of the elected officials in Portland, and a goodly chunk of those elected at the Oregon state level, who have mostly said nothing, and many have egged on the “protesters.” The mayor of Portland doesn’t even have much to say in terms of the rioters being a problem. Many more have slammed the police and talked of defunding them.
However, The Oregonian newspaper reported that the Multnomah County district attorney has drawn criticism for saying his office would not prosecute certain low-level offenders arrested at the Portland protests, which have been taking place nightly since the end of May.
In response to Lovell’s statement, District Attorney Mike Schmidt’s office released a statement saying they are “focusing on the violent crimes occurring at protests and in our community,” which they said was a deicision taken to prioritize public safety.
And the “low level” criminals keep showing up day after day and being arrested then released by the DA. Then their violence gets worse and worse
(The Blaze) A Portland man accused of double murder was arrested just days before for interfering with police during a protest — but the charge related to the protest was dismissed the next day, and he was released from jail, KOIN-TV reported.
Cassy Leaton, 22, and Najaf “Nate” Hobbs, 39, were stabbed to death June 16, and police arrested Phillip Lawrence Nelson two days later, the station said, adding that the suspect faces two murder charges and is being held without bail.
But on June 12, Nelson was arrested at a protest in downtown Portland on a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a peace officer, KOIN said, citing court records. However, that charge was dismissed the next day, the station said. Booking information indicates Nelson was released from the Multnomah County Detention Center.
OK, slightly different, he didn’t murder them at a protest, but, you get the point.
Anyhow, how soon till the chief is fired?
