Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler on Thursday banned the use of tear gas for crowd control as protests against racial inequality and police brutality continued for the 105th consecutive night.
"During the last hundred days, Portland, Multnomah County and State Police have all relied on CS gas where there is a threat to life safety," Wheeler said in a statement. "We need something different. We need it now."
Tensions in Portland have been high since the police killing of George Floyd. The situation has exacerbated in July by the presence of federal agents sent in by the Trump administration.
Those officers withdrew last month, but clashes between police and protesters have continued.
Wheeler said the tear gas wasn’t making a difference.
"Arson, vandalism, and violence are not going to drive change in this community," he said. "I expect the police to arrest people who engage in criminal acts. I expect the District Attorney to prosecute those who commit criminal acts. And I expect the rest of the criminal justice system to hold those individuals accountable. We must stand together as a community against violence and for progress."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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