This footage was filmed and produced 24 July 2020.
Portland, Oregon, has become the somewhat unlikely epicenter of unrest over the death of George Floyd and the federal response to the protests that have sprung up around the country in its wake. On July 24, federal law enforcement officials and protesters were locked in a tense standoff that is centered in the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in downtown Portland.
The protests in Portland largely began after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. A city known for its robust and spirited activism quickly joined other communities across the nation in taking to the streets to demand racial justice and police accountability.
Portland is different, however, in that the protest movement here took on another cause after President Donald Trump sent in federal forces around the July 4 holiday in order to protect federal statues. That influx of federal agents was met with anger by many demonstrators, who viewed the move as an attempt by the US government to occupy their city.
Since that time, a federal building downtown has largely served as the epicenter for ongoing protests -- mostly peaceful, with periods of violence at night -- as demonstrators continue to demand the Trump administration remove federal officers from the city.