Portland protests: Trump warns to send officers to more cities

In wake of protests in Portland, US President Donald Trump has warned to send more federal law enforcement officers to US cities. 

Mr. Trump criticized many cities “liberal Democrats”, including Chicago and New York over ongoing protests. He said that the leaders were afraid to act.

While speaking at the White House on Monday, he called for law and order.

“We’re sending law enforcement,” he told reporters. “We can’t let this happen to the cities.”

He highlighted the names of New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, and Oakland while talking about violence.

“We’re not going to let this happen in our country, all run by liberal Democrats.”

On the other hand, he appreciated the officers sent to Oregon, saying they had done a “fantastic job” restoring order after days of protests in Portland. Protests have been organized against police brutality since the death of a black man George Floyd.

Mr. Trump said that Oregon’s governor, Portland’s mayor, and other lawmakers were afraid o “anarchists”. He said, “They’re afraid of these people,”

“That’s the reason they don’t want us to help them.”

He added: “[Federal officers] have been there three days and they really have done a fantastic job in a very short period of time, no problem. They grab a lot of people and jail the leaders. These are anarchists.”

However, local officials claim that the federal officers are making matters worse.

State leaders have demanded the president remove the personnel from Portland, as they accused him of worsening the situation as a political stunt in an election year.