The mayor of Portland was left struggling to breathe when federal agents hit him with tear gas after a crowd of angry protesters threw shr...
The mayor of Portland was left struggling to breathe when federal agents hit him with tear gas after a crowd of angry protesters threw shrapnel at his feet as they demanded the city official resign during a Wednesday night demonstration.
Mayor Ted Wheeler scrambled to put goggles on after the noxious gas was used on crowds of Black Lives Matter protesters demonstrating against police brutality for the 56th night following the death of George Floyd who took his last breath under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer on May 25.
Wheeler told The New York Times: 'I’m not going to lie — it stings; it’s hard to breathe. And I can tell you with 100 per cent honesty, I saw nothing which provoked this response.'
During his appearance, Wheeler promised that he would continue to try and get federal agents out of Portland.
'I am doing everything in my power to get them to leave,' he told protesters in footage captured by OPB.
He was met with outrage from the crowds chanting 'Ted must go', swearing at him and calling for his resignation as he made his way into the crowd.
Mayor Ted Wheeler (pictured) scrambled to put goggles on after the noxious gas was used on crowds of Black Lives Matter protesters outside the city's federal courthouse
Wheeler reacts after being exposed to tear gas fired by federal officers while attending a protest against police brutality and racial injustice in front of the Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse on Wednesday
During his appearance, Wheeler promised that he would continue to try and get federal agents out of Portland. 'I am doing everything in my power to get them to leave,' he told protesters
Wheeler spoke to the massive crowd during a demonstration Wednesday night outside the Multnomah County Justice Center
Wheeler was met by angry crowds who chanted and held banners reading 'tear gas Ted', as hundreds gathered for another demonstration on Wednesday
Members of Wheeler's security staff fight to close a door to The Portland Building after protesters followed and heckled the mayor when he left the protest
One man walked up and emptied a bag full of shrapnel in front of him causing Wheeler to stop in his tracks, while another came up behind him and put a police hat on his head which he swiftly removed.
Several people held banners aloft reading 'Tear gas Ted' and 'Hey Ted, no more tear gas'.
Wheeler spoke into a microphone telling protesters he was there to hold a 'listening session' where he wanted to hear their views.
Crowds pushed forward as he urged them to 'step back' to prevent 'crushing'.
'I thought this was going to be a listening session not me doing all the talking,' he said as he faced a barrage of questions.
When asked by one protester about the police allegedly working with Proud Boys, where he said 'it would be appalling to me personally' if this was true.
The Proud Boys is a far-right neo-fascist organization that admits only men and encourages political violence.
Protesters also raised concerns about the powers of Portland Police Association president Daryl Turner.
'I can not regulate Daryl Turner. He's a union official,' said Wheeler.
Federal agents are seen near a fenced-in area that protesters had breached outside the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse
Protesters throw tear gas canisters back inside the perimeter of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse after they were launched in the crowd by federal agents
Protesters wearing helmets and carrying umbrellas demonstrate outside a perimeter set up around the Portland courthouse Wednesday night
A protester recovers from tear gas fired by federal officers during crowd dispersal at the Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse on Wednesday
A federal officer points a less-lethal weapon toward a crowd of a few hundred protesters in front of the Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse early Thursday morning
Protesters hold peace signs and pictures of victims of police violence during Wednesday night's protest outside the federal courthouse
A federal police officer takes cover behind a shield while clashing with protesters at the Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse early Thursday morning
This comes after Turner and Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty exchanged a fierce war of words at a city council meeting earlier in the day where Hardesty called him a liar and said cops could be setting fires in the city during protests to stoke unrest.
Hardesty also accused Wheeler and Turner of inviting the 'federal goons' to the city.
'It is appalling to find out the Portland Police Association and the union president continues to lie to the public on a daily basis about the lack of cooperation by Portland police personnel,' Hardesty said.
'If Portland does not stand up now and we as a City Council don't hold our own police officers accountable for this egregious behavior, we will be – we will go down in history of having failed in our obligation to protect community members.
'I still have to question why was Portland police not protecting Portlanders when these federal goons came in and started attacking us rather than joining the federal goons who were attacking peaceful protesters.'
Turner hit back at the claims demanding she produce evidence to back up her 'outlandish accusation'. The city council passed new policies Wednesday, banning all Portland police bureau members from cooperating with federal agents as city officials want to rid the city of the troops sent in by President Donald Trump.
Wheeler, Hardesty, Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and Commissioner Amanda Fritz voted unanimously to approve the new rules citing 'an unprecedented and unconstitutional abuse of power by the federal government'.
Meanwhile, federal officials are also blasting the actions of protesters, with at least three federal agents in Portland being blinded in an altercation this week.
Authorities said the three agents may never recover their vision after it was damaged when people shone lasers in their eyes and threw fireworks toward at the city's federal courthouse earlier in the week.
On Monday night, one person also allegedly threatened to cut off the water supply to federal officers inside the building.
A growing fire is seen near the barricaded perimeter around the federal courthouse on Wednesday
Some protesters are seen with their hands up while others hold makeshift shields and umbrellas for protection against the federal officers
Demonstrators dance and chant during the protest outside the Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse on Wednesday
Federal officers arrest a protester after she crossed a fence line set up around the Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse early Thursday morning
Brian Harding receives medical attention after being shot in the collarbone by a rubber bullet Wednesday night
Protesters ready their shields outside of Portland's Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse on Wednesday night
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