Federal agents to leave Portland

Oregon State Police will have a “robust presence” in downtown Portland as part of a plan negotiated with Democratic Gov. Kate Brown over the last 24 hours, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said. Brown on Wednesday said federal agents will begin a “phased withdrawal” from the city on Thursday.

What does that mean for the protests? State and local police will secure streets and federal buildings “that have been under nightly attack for the past two months,” Wolf said. Protests in Portland following the death of George Floyd often have become violent at night, particularly around the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse, leading federal agents to disperse crowds with tear gas and arrests. The U.S. Marshals and the Department of Homeland Security had considered sending up to 100 additional agents to the city this week before the deal.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Sift about President Donald Trump’s plan to send federal police to additional cities.