Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf defended his decision to deploy federal law enforcement agents into Portland Oregon amid the civil unrest.
On Wednesday, Wolf held a “State of the Homeland” address where he discussed the various threats the department has responded to this year.
He also refuted the claims that have led to the narrative depicting federal officials and agents as agitators and aggressors toward protesters as opposed to law enforcement agents with a goal of maintaining order while protecting people and property.
Referring to the oath he took as a law enforcement official, Wolf vowed that his goal is to protect communities.
“We cannot and must not fall victim to the delusion of a fringe minority of Americans who are opposed to the honorable men and women wear the badge who swear to protect our communities,” Wolf said at the podium.
Wolf also fired back at “so-called” and “self-appointed experts” who have been critical of the DHS’s handling of the unrest in Portland. However, he argues that there are “facts on the ground” that misunderstood.
“It’s been disappointing to see so-called experts criticize our response in Portland without understanding the facts on the ground,” Wolf said.
The DHS secretary added, “It’s unsettling that the self-appointed experts rush to criticize the uniform men and women of DHS, working to save lives and defend federal property, even before they condemn the violent behavior of a rioting mob.”
See Wolf’s remarks below:
Wolf’s remarks come less than one week after the release of a new study on the summer protesters.
According to the analysis, “more than 90% of summer protests” were peaceful despite the riots, looting and violence that made headlines across the United States.
The report revealed 7,750 protests were held across the United States between May 26 and Aug. 22. Of those 7,750 demonstrations reported, a total of 220 escalated to violence defined as “demonstrators clashing with police or counter-protesters or causing property damage,” per the publication.
That report also noted that most protests were “largely confined to specific blocks, rather than dispersed throughout the city.”
