Portland Police Chief Wants Face Masks Forbidden During Protests and Demonstrators

Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw wants to make it illegal for protestors to wear masks after the recent violence that erupted in downtown Portland in recent protests.  During the demonstrations dueling and physical violence erupted in at least two violent street brawls, according to local news. 

Hundreds of protesters including Proud Boys followers, a #HimToo movement organizer and black-clad supporters of Rose City Antifa, many hiding their faces with dark motorcycle helmets or bandanas, converged on the streets of Portland.

Police were criticized and Police Chief Outlaw was called on to intervene but police were restricted by local laws as well as the fact that police were unable to identify hidden weapons such as knives, torches, or guns.

“There were entities that planned a brawl in the city of Portland and no one seems to be upset about that. … Entities came here for a fight. … I don’t even know what they were protesting against,’’ the Oregonian quoted Chief Outlaw.

To complicate matters, the city is faced with an ongoing feud of police demanding that the Mayor Ted Wheeler loosen  restrictions on police, which the Mayor is resisting, wweek reported.

Portland police union President Officer Daryl Turner demanded that  mayor, who also serves as the city’s police commissioner, to  proclaim that city won’t tolerate any violence from “both Antifa and Proud Boys’’ and “remove the handcuffs’’ that are restraining police from stopping violence “through strong and swift enforcement,’’ according to the oregonlive report.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz accused Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler of ordering police to stand down and allow antifa protesters to physically engage conservative activists, according to a Newsweek report.

One solution according to Chief Outlaw is to be able to identify those involved in the violence.

“There were entities that planned a brawl in the city of Portland and no one seems to be upset about that,” Outlaw told reporters. Legislation would really be helpful prohibiting the wearing of masks during the commission of a crime. … If you knew that you can be easily identified, do you think you would be as inclined to commit that act of violence or commit that crime personally?”