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| - The US Justice Department's independent watchdog announced Thursday that it was launching an investigation into the use of force by federal agents in Portland, Oregon, and Washington. The move comes following outrage by members of Congress, as well as rights activists and the public, over violent clashes in Portland between federal forces and demonstrators protesting against racism and police brutality. Inspector General Michael Horowitz said his office has opened an investigation into the events in Portland. A separate review is being conducted over a crackdown against protesters in the national capital's Lafayette Square on June 1 near the White House. He said the probes will "examine the DOJ's and its law enforcement components' roles and responsibilities in responding to protest activity and civil unrest in Washington, DC, and in Portland, Oregon over the prior two months." "The review will include examining the training and instruction that was provided to the DOJ law enforcement personnel; compliance with applicable identification requirements, rules of engagement, and legal authorities; and adherence to DOJ policies regarding the use of less-lethal munitions, chemical agents, and other uses of force," Horowitz added. He said his office will coordinate its probe with the Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog. The announcement came as daily protests in Portland have grown in recent days following reports of federal troops in camouflage arresting people and using force against demonstrators. Early Thursday morning, the mayor of Portland, Ted Wheeler, was tear gassed in the downtown area as he met with the protesters. Video footage showed Wheeler wearing goggles and a face mask surrounded by a large crowd. He held his nose and closed his eyes amid clouds of gas and fireworks exploding nearby. "This is an egregious overreaction on the part of the federal officers," Wheeler told The New York Times. "This is flat-out urban warfare." He said he had seen nothing that justified the police response. "I'm not afraid but I am pissed off," he said. The protests were initially sparked by the killing of George Floyd, an African American man who died at the hands of Minnesota police on May 25. President Donald Trump has justified the deployment of the federal officers, saying they were needed to protect federal buildings and to restore order. He has described the protesters as "anarchists and agitators" and has vowed to send federal officers to more US cities. jz/to
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