Russia Today - USA

Chicago Dunkin’ Donuts employee loses job, faces ‘battery’ charges after trooper finds ...

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 03:48:00 GMT

A Dunkin’ employee in Chicago has been arrested on several charges, including battery to a peace officer, after he allegedly spat into a coffee cup he then gave to an unsuspecting state trooper.

The incident that cost Vincent J. Sessler, 25 his job at Dunkin’ took place on Thursday evening, when a Chickago trooper decided to treat himself to a large black cup of coffee.

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When the officer was handed out the cup, the drink was steaming hot, so he decided to take the lid off and let it cool. Little did he know what an unpleasant surprise was waiting for him inside. As soon as he removed the lid, he saw what is described in a police report as “a large, thick piece of mucus.” The ghastly substance was later confirmed to be saliva, the report said.

The suspected perpetrator was arrested the next day. He was taken into custody, and now faces a litany of charges, including “disorderly conduct,” “reckless conduct” and “battery to a peace officer.”

Blasting the incident as “outrageous and disgusting”, Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said that state law enforcement members would be “prohibited from patronizing this location” from now on.

Dunkin’, in its own statement, said that the employee in question had already been given the boot.

“The franchise owner who independently owns and operates this restaurant informs us that he took immediate action to investigate the matter and terminated the individual responsible for this reprehensible behavior,” the company said, while saying that it has “a deep appreciation” for police work.

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Appeasing the crowds? Chicago pulls down embattled Columbus statue days after mayor agrees to let feds in

A wave of similar incidents where staffers at restaurants were accused of tampering with drinks they prepared for police officers have been reported since the George Floyed protest sprang up in late May, fuelling the anger against law enforcement. Although not all the allegations check out, in some of the cases employees face real charges.

On July 20, police in Park Ridge, New Jersey reported that 21-year-old Starbucks employee Kevin A. Trejo was arrested on charges of assaulting an officer with bodily fluid, tampering and creating a hazardous condition after he was overheard bragging about spitting in officers’ cups at the coffee shop. Trejo was fired shortly after the incident.

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Microsoft says talks over TikTok’s potential purchase to wrap up by September 15 in ‘any ...

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 23:48:00 GMT

Microsoft has said they would “move quickly” in their talks with ByteDance to buy TikTok, after CEO Satya Nadella discussed the issue with US President Donald Trump, who threatened to ban the popular Chinese app.

In a statement on its official blog on Sunday, Microsoft has confirmed that the discussions between them and the owner of TikTok, Chinese company ByteDance, have been underway, vowing to complete them “no later than September, 15” whatever the outcome.

Microsoft said that if a “preliminary proposal” communicated to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) between the companies to be made final, it would entail the US technology giant purchasing TikTok services in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

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‘We’re here for the long run’: TikTok’s US general manager dismisses Trump’s ban plan

The company said that it “appreciates the importance” of addressing Trump’s concerns about the purported security risks presented by TikTok, adding that it “looks forward” to continuing dialog with the US government as it seeks to thrash out a deal with ByteDance.

Microsoft appreciates the U.S. Government’s and President Trump’s personal involvement as it continues to develop strong security protections for the country

Under the scope of the agreement, which is currently in the works, Microsoft said it would make certain that all the private data that Americans had shared with the app would be “transferred to and remains in the US.”

As far as the US users’ data, that had already ended up outside the US is concerned, the company said that it would “ensure” it is wiped off from foreign servers after the transfer.

Microsoft’s acknowledgement of the talks comes the same day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Trump might “take action in the coming days” to deal with “broad array of national security risks” stemming from the companies, that Washington believes, are in bed with Beijing.

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Trump will act on TikTok and other Chinese software companies ‘in the coming days’ – Pompeo

The talks between Microsoft and ByteDance had been reportedly put on hold after Trump announced on Friday that he might ban the app within the span of 24 hours either through an executive order or emergency powers, while also reportedly opposing the deal between the US-based company and the Chinese firm.

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‘I can't f**king BREATHE under this thing’: LSU linebacker identifies flaw in new ...

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 21:53:00 GMT

Louisiana State University linebacker Soni Fonua found what could be a fatal flaw with the new face shields designed to prevent the spread of coronavirus on the gridiron – the inability of the player to breathe.

Fonua posted a video of himself wearing a helmet fitted with the new shield in the LSU locker room, saying, “I can't f**king breathe under this thing. Yes sir.” Offensive lineman Austin Deculus added, “It's like breathing in a Ziploc bag.”

LSU LB Soni Fonua wearing his COVID face shield helmet: “I can’t fucking breathe under this thing!”

Senior offensive lineman Austin Deculus: “It’s like breathing in a Ziploc bag.” pic.twitter.com/NR3nCNaxXK
— Master (@MasterTes) August 2, 2020

Breathing difficulties or not, the players may have no choice but to wear the Schutt Splash Shields on their helmets. LSU's football equipment crew said on Twitter: “Adapt, adjust. Splash Shields ready to go.”

Adapt. Adjust. Splash shields ready to go. pic.twitter.com/v0SW1xXA4m
— LSU Football Equip (@LSUFBEquipment) July 31, 2020

A similar shield developed by Oakley will be used in the National Football League this season, though it likely won’t be mandatory for players. The NFL Players Association has opposed making it requisite. The Oakley Mouth Shield at least has air openings.

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Difficulties breathing might not be the only unintended consequence of the face shields, as a fogged mask would also make it difficult to actually see the ball.

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Trump is Mussolini, riots are peaceful, but federal agents are terrorists – top black ...

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 21:29:16 GMT

Rep. Jim Clyburn was a key figure behind securing Joe Biden’s nomination, and will be instrumental in picking his running mate. However, his views of late are show denial of reality and falling back on #Resistance tropes.

Jim Clyburn’s name carries gravitas in both Washington and his home state of South Carolina. Clyburn’s endorsement is considered to have pushed Joe Biden ahead of Bernie Sanders in the state’s primary election, securing him the black vote. The veteran lawmaker and House Majority Whip is expected to vet Biden’s eventual choice of running mate, given Biden has promised to consider a black woman for the slot.

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'Sleepy Joe' Biden 'never leaves his basement' and won't win Texas, Trump says

However, the South Carolinian Democrat appears to have embraced some of the more unhinged talking points of his party’s progressive wing. He demonstrated this in a series of cable news interviews on Sunday.

Speaking to CNN’s Dana Bash, Clyburn revised his earlier comparison of President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, this time comparing him to Italian fascist Benito Mussolini.

“I feel very strongly that he is Mussolini,” Clyburn declared, before rebranding Russian President Vladimir Putin as “Hitler.” “I believe very strongly this guy never had an idea about being wanting peacefully [sic] transfer of power.”

“I don’t think he plans to leave the White House. He doesn’t plan to have fair and unfettered elections. I believe that he plans to install himself in some kind of emergency way to continue to hold onto office,” Democratic Rep. James Clyburn says about Pres. Trump. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/tk7qHPpL3P
— CNN (@CNN) August 2, 2020

“I don't think he plans to leave the White House,” Clyburn continued. “He doesn't plan to have fair and unfettered elections. I believe that he plans to install himself in some kind of emergency way to continue to hold on to office.”

Earlier this week, Trump mused about postponing November’s election until people could “safely and securely vote” in person, in a tweet that saw him rebuked by both sides of the political aisle. However, newspapers and cable pundits have long entertained the notion that Trump could cling to power if he loses, a view based on little more than the idea that Trump fancies himself a dictator, to paraphrase them.

Clyburn continued his dictatorial comparisons on Fox News. There, he told host Pete Hegseth that the federal crackdown on rioters in Portland, Oregon, was akin to “state-sponsored terrorism.” However, he denied calling the federal agents Trump’s “Gestapo,” a statement he made on record last month.

Portland has seen more than two months of nightly riots since late May, during which ragtag crowds of Black Lives Matter demonstrators and Antifa rioters have repeatedly attempted to break into the city’s federal courthouse and set the building alight. Clyburn denied any knowledge of these attempted arson attacks, asking Hegseth “What federal building has been under threat? Who attempted to burn a federal building?”

This MUST be seen to be believed. Majority whip Clyburn denies knowing about bible burning & has no idea a federal building has been under attack @PeteHegseth⁩ ‘s eyeballs just about popped out of his head. Delusional Democrats need to be voted OUT of office. Shameless liars. pic.twitter.com/pyH1QYq7i6
— ???????????????????????????? ???????????? (@my3monkees) August 2, 2020

“Black Lives Matter will not ever...burn down any buildings,” he added, claiming that any violence was the work of undercover “pretenders.”

Clyburn’s outright denial echoes that of New York Rep. Jerry Nadler, who last week called the riots and violence in Portland “a myth that’s being spread only in Washington, DC.”

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Where are the fact checkers? Rep. Jerry Nadler claims Antifa violence in Portland is a MYTH (VIDEO)

The Portland riots are anything but a myth. Denying their existence may please some of Clyburn’s base, but it will do little to please the majority of voters concerned with rising crime in US cities. Likewise, comparing Trump to the fascist dictators of old might score points with the most ardent Trump-haters, but will only serve to portray the Democratic party as one unmoored from reality.

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Members of Congress returning to DC from Lewis funeral in Georgia won't have to follow ...

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 21:00:36 GMT

Politicians who attended the funeral for congressman John Lewis in Georgia won't have to worry about Washington's new quarantine rules as they return to the city because they're deemed too essential to lock down.

A Who's Who of Democrat politicians attended Thursday's funeral in Atlanta, despite a state ban on gatherings of more than 50 people. Fifty members of Congress attended, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Kamala Harris, a leading candidate to be Joe Biden's vice presidential running mate.

Georgia is among 27 states that Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser deemed coronavirus hotspots and therefore subject to her July 24 order requiring anyone traveling from high-risk areas to self-quarantine for 14 days when they arrive in the nation's capital. Georgia has seen a rise in new Covid-19 infections, including 32,000 confirmed cases on July 28 alone, and some hospitals reportedly have run out of intensive care unit beds.

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CNN blamed two funerals for causing Albany, Georgia, to be "overrun by coronavirus cases" in March.

There are no such worries over returning funeral goers in Washington. "Government activity is essential, and the Capitol of the United States is exempt from the mayor's order," Bowser's press secretary, Susana Castillo, told Justthenews.com.

Pelosi on July 29 ordered that all House members must wear a mask while voting on the House floor. She issued the mandate after Representative Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican, tested positive for the virus. Representative Raul Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, said Saturday that he, too, had contracted the virus and blamed Republicans for not wearing masks. At least seven House members and two senators have tested positive for coronavirus.

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The Washington Nationals baseball team also has been ruled essential by Washington’s mayor and therefore is not subject to the quarantine rule.

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‘Do as they say’: Minneapolis police warn people to obey criminals for their own safety as ...

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 20:58:00 GMT

Embattled Minneapolis police are advising residents on survival skills amid a wave of violent crime, offering such tips as “be prepared to give up your cell phone and purse/wallet” to robbers and “do not walk alone.”

“Do not argue or fight with the criminal,” police said in a July 28 letter to Third Precinct residents. “Do what they say. Your safety is most important.”

The Third Precinct, southeast of downtown, was one of the areas hardest hit by the protests-turned-riots that broke out following the May 25 killing of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. Ensuing demonstrations and riots in the adjoining cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul marked the second-most destructive incident of civil unrest in US history. Police were forced to abandon their Third Precinct headquarters for their own safety on May 28 as rioters pulled down a fence and set the building on fire.

Minneapolis City Government tells residents to be ready to give up their phones and wallets and to always cooperate with criminals: pic.twitter.com/qQhw4YLRSY
— Kyle Hooten (@KyleHooten2) August 1, 2020

Carjackings and other robberies have skyrocketed in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests. Police said there were 20 carjackings and 100 other robberies reported in July in the Third Precinct alone. “Some victims have been maced, dragged, assaulted and some threatened with a gun,” police said in the warning to locals.

In an era of rising crime and a push by many on the left to defund police and “reimagine” law enforcement in Democrat-controlled cities, the self-help tips in Minneapolis may be a sign of things to come.

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Crowds BESIEGE Minneapolis 5th Precinct as police & National Guard fail to enforce curfew (VIDEOS)

The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously in June to replace the city's police department with a “department of community safety and violence prevention, which will have responsibility for public safety services prioritizing a holistic, public health-oriented approach.”

The plan will need approval from voters in November, meaning it will primarily affect police resources after 2020, but the city last month took $1.1 million out of this year's police budget to fund a Health Department program in which staff are sent out to “mediate” violent conflicts. Some Minneapolis residents are already adjusting to deteriorating public safety by setting up armed patrols in their neighborhoods.

Minneapolis police are operating under a court order that bans such tactics as choke holds and requires that any use of rubber bullets or other crowd-control measures be approved by the police chief. More than 150 officers filed disability claims for post-traumatic stress disorder and other injuries suffered during the protests.

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Seattle City Council moving to defund 'racist' police department & replace it with ‘community-led' public safety system

In Seattle, where officers were banned altogether from using crowd-control weapons, Police Chief Carmen Best warned business owners last month that her department would have “no ability to safely intercede to preserve property in the midst of a large, violent crowd.”

Seattle City Council members introduced a resolution Friday to create a new community safety department that would replace much of the police force.

Police also have been restrained by city leaders in Portland, which had 15 reported homicides in July, the highest monthly total in more than three decades. There were 63 shootings reported through the first 29 days of July, police data showed, up from 28 in all of July 2019.

Newsmax journalist John Cardillo, a former New York City policeman, said in a tweet that the Minneapolis letter essentially tells residents to “prepare to be robbed, obey criminals and hand over their belongings. This is where we are now.”

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Trump will act on TikTok and other Chinese software companies ‘in the coming days’ – Pompeo

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 19:48:52 GMT

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has vowed that President Donald Trump will take action “in the coming days” to deal with Chinese software companies that the White House claims are feeding data to Beijing.

Appearing on Fox News’ ‘Sunday Morning Futures’ show, Pompeo claimed the practices of the Chinese tech companies currently in the administration’s sights, including TikTok and WeChat, pose “true privacy issues for the American people.”

“For a long time the US just said ‘Well, goodness, if we're having fun with it, or if a company can make money off of it, we're going to permit that to happen,’” he explained, adding that this approach would soon be changing.

“President Trump has said ‘enough’ and we're going to fix it, and so he will take action in the coming days with respect to a broad array of national security risks,” Pompeo said, referring to the companies which he claimed are “connected to the Chinese Communist Party.”

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Trump says he will BAN TikTok in US within 24 hours

Pompeo’s comments come after Trump told reporters on Friday that he was going to ban the massively popular Chinese video-sharing app TikTok in the US within 24 hours, possibly through an executive order. He has not yet followed through on that threat, however.

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is reportedly in talks to divest its American operations in a deal with Microsoft, in an effort to avert a ban and come to a deal with the White House. But sources told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday that the talks were put on hold over Trump’s opposition to the idea.

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Banning TikTok gives Trump cheap anti-China points but undermines his free speech chops in war with Twitter and Google

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has also weighed in on the fate of the Chinese-owned app, saying that the US is “not keeping TikTok in its current form.”

TikTok, along with fellow Chinese app WeChat, has denied the accusations of collecting information to feed to the Beijing government, insisting that they keep their users’ data secure.

On Saturday, TikTok's US General Manager Vanessa Pappas released a video message assuring the app's tens of millions of US users that it is “not planning on going anywhere” and is in the country “for the long run.”

Tensions between Washington and Beijing have been mounting for months. Before targeting TikTok, the US launched an international assault on Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, also labeling it a security threat and attempting to strong-arm other nations into banning its technology. Beijing claims the US’ accusations are groundless and were only intended to remove a Chinese competitor from the US market.

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Splashdown! Astronauts aboard SpaceX capsule make water landing in the Gulf of Mexico

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 18:54:00 GMT

Two NASA astronauts have landed safely back on Earth after a blistering descent through our planet’s atmosphere in a SpaceX capsule. The historic feat is a milestone for Elon Musk’s spaceflight company.

Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday afternoon, after a 63-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Launching in May, the mission was the first manned spaceflight from American soil in nearly a decade, and the first launch of NASA astronauts by a private company.

Good splashdown of Dragon confirmed! Welcome back to Earth, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug! pic.twitter.com/0vAS3CcK9P
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 2, 2020

Behnken and Hurley undocked from the ISS earlier on Saturday and set a course for home. The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour capsule withstood temperatures of 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,926 Celsius) during its descent, along with a risky parachute deployment, before the capsule finally came to a stop in the ocean.

The four main parachutes have deployed. #LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/Ctu4v7hbMw
— NASA (@NASA) August 2, 2020

NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon “Endeavor” spacecraft, August 2, 2020 © AFP / NASA

The successful landing means that NASA will now review the Dragon Endeavour capsule, along with its Falcon 9 rocket, for human spaceflight. Assuming no technical issues are discovered, the SpaceX craft can enter into regular service as the US agency’s primary means of transport to and from the ISS.

A Falcon 9 rocket has already arrived in Florida in preparation for SpaceX’s next launch, slated for late September. The upcoming mission will see three NASA astronauts and one Japanese crew member journey to the ISS.

Prior to the mission, NASA had relied on Russian Soyuz rockets to reach space since 2011. Instead of blasting off from Florida, the American astronauts would have to travel to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Baikonur was ground zero for the Soviet Union’s first victories in the space race, including the launch of Sputnik 1 – the first artificial satellite – and Vostok 1 – the first human spaceflight.

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Joe says no: Trader Joe’s stands up to outrage mob, proving the impotence of online activism

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 16:46:00 GMT

Grocery chain Trader Joe’s won’t be changing its supposedly “racist” product labels. In an era where suspect tweets can ruin careers, the decision is a reminder that online activism doesn’t always matter in real life.

According to more than 5,000 signatories of an online petition, some of the chain’s branding – which sees its Italian range labeled ‘Trader Giotto’s’, its Mexican range called ‘Trader Jose’s’, and its Chinese food named ‘Trader Ming’s’ – is racist.

The branding “exoticizes other cultures,” the petition states. Furthermore, the petition alleges that the company’s founder Joe Coulombe drew inspiration from a “racist” book about “traders on the high seas” that has been accused of “romanticizing Western Imperialism and fetishizing non-Western peoples.”

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The verbiage is typical of the woke left, and such is the cultural sway of that movement that the media took notice and Trader Joe’s felt obliged to respond. In a statement to CNN, a spokeswoman said that the company recognized its apparent insensitivity and would be rebranding any offensive packaging.

A week later, the grocery chain about-turned and said that its packaging isn’t “racist,” that nothing would be renamed “based on petitions,” and that its actual customers – not a small group of online busybodies – quite like the branding.

The resolution to the non-issue grabbed national media attention and garnered praise online. Fox News’ Stuart Varney called the company’s response a “win for sanity,” while podcaster Bret Weinstein commended the firm for standing “up against lunacy.”

Thank you #TraderJoes for taking a stand. Hopefully more great businesses in America begin to do the same. https://t.co/sF8FvUdJ88
— MystockBuddies (@MystockBuddies) July 31, 2020

Good for #TraderJoes Is the tide finally turning on Corporate Cave-ins ? https://t.co/4Hd5wijDVj
— GrrrGraphics Cartoons (@GrrrGraphics) July 30, 2020

Trader Joe’s is an outlier in that it stayed resolute in the face of an online outrage campaign. Similar crusades have seen the Washington Redskins rebrand as ‘Washington Football Team’, Quaker Oats drop ‘Aunt Jemima’ from its syrup labels, and Nestle rename its ‘Eskimo Pie’ ice-cream.

Ultimately, these campaigns succeeded because the companies in question decided to give in, instead of standing their ground. What Trader Joe’s evidently realized is something known instinctively by most of the population: Twitter isn’t real life. That’s not to say people haven’t had their lives and careers ruined for online snafus – just ask the Cisco employees fired for writing “all lives matter” in a group chat last month – but if you control your own business and income, there’s not a whole lot the mob can do.

As a privately held company, Trader Joe’s doesn’t even have shareholders to appease or a stock value to protect. Unless customers desert the store en masse, the woke petitioners have literally no power here.

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Not that this should have ever been a national issue. 5,000 anonymous signatories is not a critical mass of outraged people. It’s just under four people for every one of Trader Joe’s 505 US locations. Four times as many people have signed a petition to save a cat sanctuary in New York, for example, and CNN hasn’t dispatched reporters to the scene or asked local authorities for a statement.

Media attention gives these witch hunts the oxygen they need, and the prevailing climate of wokeness gives them fuel, but those targeted – like Trader Joe’s – often have the final say. A short, sharp “no” is all it takes.

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'Sleepy Joe' Biden 'never leaves his basement' and won't win Texas, Trump says

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 14:02:17 GMT

President Donald Trump has bashed his basement-dwelling presidential opponent, Joe Biden, and touted his own support for “Oil, Gas, Guns, & God,” after a fundraising trip to the Lone Star State.

“Was in the Great State of Texas this week and explained that the Radical Left Do Nothing Democrats, headed up by their great leader, Sleepy Joe Biden (who never leaves his basement), are strongly against ‘Oil, Gas, Guns, & God,’’ Trump tweeted on Sunday.

“Must be tough to win Texas on that platform!" he added.

Was in the Great State of Texas this week and explained that the Radical Left Do Nothing Democrats, headed up by their great leader, Sleepy Joe Biden (who never leaves his basement), are strongly against “Oil, Gas, Guns, & God”. Must be tough to win Texas on that platform!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2020

Running a presidential campaign amid the coronavirus pandemic, Joe Biden has foregone speeches and rallies for live-streams from his Delaware basement. Critics and pundits are divided over whether this low-visibility approach helps or hinders Biden, given his propensity to lose his train of thought and muddle his way through speeches.

Trump, on the other hand, has kept himself in the spotlight. The president flew to Texas earlier this week to speak to energy workers, whose industry has been hammered by both the coronavirus pandemic and a spike in output by Saudi Arabia earlier this year. After promising the workers new export contracts and pipeline permits, Trump headlined a fundraising lunch in Odessa, where seats at a table with the president reportedly went for $100,000.

Selling a pro-energy message to Texans is an easy task for Trump, especially considering Biden’s recent pledge to spend $2 trillion in four years on green energy. However, while Texas is still known by many as the land of “Guns & God,” the state is not the bastion of Republican support it once was.

Recent polls show Trump a hair’s breadth ahead of Biden in the Lone Star State, meaning the former VP has a shot at turning the once deep-red state blue in November.

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No press allowed at GOP convention, Trump to be nominated behind closed doors – reports

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 13:37:47 GMT

This month’s Republican National Convention will take place behind closed doors and with no press present, reports suggest. The move is the latest in a series of twists and changes to the convention.

Originally slated to take place in Jacksonville, Florida, the Republican National Convention was canceled last month due to a rise in coronavirus cases. Beforehand, it had been moved there from Charlotte due to virus restrictions applied by North Carolina Governor Ray Cooper, a Democrat. After canvassing a number of other cities as potential hosts, the GOP has fallen back on Charlotte, albeit for a convention without some of the fanfare that President Donald Trump is known for.

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Only around 300 delegates will attend, and the event will be closed to the press, a party spokesperson told multiple media outlets on Saturday. When delegates cast their votes to formally nominate Trump for election, they will live-stream the proceedings, CNN reported.

Furthermore, it is unclear whether Trump himself will travel to Charlotte to accept the nomination. The president has said that he will speak on the convention’s final day – August 27, but has not yet said whether he will actually speak from Charlotte.

Party conventions are usually lavish affairs, and media circuses. The restricted gathering this year is unprecedented, yet Democrats too have been forced to modify their convention on account of the coronavirus. The Democrats’ four-day gathering will be a mostly virtual event, with candidate Joe Biden likely the only big-name speech. The convention was originally planned for July, but was pushed back to August as Covid-19 infections and deaths spiked in April.

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Two guards stabbed during Georgia prison riot. ...

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 08:30:00 GMT

Two guards have been injured in a riot at Georgia's Ware State Prison, local media reported. Purported videos of the chaotic rebellion show inmates covered in blood, holding tasers, and even frog-marching handcuffed prison staff.

The situation is now under control and the facility, located near Waycross, has been put on lockdown, according to local media, citing a statement from the Georgia Department of Corrections.

“Two staff members received minor, non-life-threatening injuries and there are no reported inmate injuries at this time,” the statement read.

Local reports also shared a statement from the Waycross Police Department, which confirmed that the riot is under control. The force said there had been injuries but didn’t say how grave they are or what weapons were used.

My inbox is getting slammed with information/videos on this incident at Ware State prison. I can’t confirm what’s going on there but plenty of inmates with cell phone video and pictures of injuries and heavy smoke. Doesn’t look very well. Praying for the safety of all involved
— Marvin L. James II (@sportsguymarv) August 2, 2020

Facebook Live footage, allegedly recorded by prisoners inside the facility, tells quite a violent story.

Several extremely graphic videos show inmates covered in blood as they receive assistance from their fellow prisoners.

Appears to be more video from #Waycross Georgia prison riots. (Warning graphic) pic.twitter.com/8ryJTRiS2r
— Simulation Warlord???????? (@zerosum24) August 2, 2020

Another Facebook Live clip reportedly made during the riot shows an inmate armed with a taser, which would have likely been taken from a guard.

Wow. Appears that some inmates in #Waycross had tasers, possibly during the Georgia prison riot. #Waycross (Video not confirmed) ????????????????pic.twitter.com/9Djgd9DcpD
— Simulation Warlord???????? (@zerosum24) August 2, 2020

In another disturbing video, fires are seen in the prison courtyard as loud bangs are heard in the background. A handcuffed man, who appears to be a prison guard, is then seen being led by an inmate.

Ware State Prison inmates do have officer in their custody outside. Last bit shows officer surrounded and on the ground. pic.twitter.com/tTbXEKSyui
— Blake Daniel (@danielforvotes) August 2, 2020

Tensions in the prison have apparently been mounting due to a coronavirus outbreak. Two inmates have died from the virus, while 22 prisoners and 32 employees have tested positive.

According to Corey Jackson, a spokesperson for the Human and Civil Rights Coalition of Georgia, the prison has been under lockdown for more than two weeks following the death of an inmate. The man reportedly died in a fight with another prisoner.

Jackson told Newsweek that inmates had received “little to no medical care” after the facility suffered a Covid-19 outbreak.

“What led to this is Ware has an entire building with sick inmates,” he said. “They have Covid-19 with little to no medical care. They had been on lockdown for weeks after a murder there about three weeks ago.”

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‘Death penalty!’ Trump calls for execution of Boston Marathon bomber Tsarnaev after ...

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 05:55:58 GMT

US President Donald Trump has said that Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, whose 2015 death sentence was overturned by the US Appeals Court this week, must face capital punishment.

“Death penalty! He killed and badly wounded many. Justice!” Trump, who previously blasted the appellate court’s decision as “ridiculous,” tweeted on Saturday.

Death penalty! He killed and badly wounded many. Justice! https://t.co/WM9Vw26a21
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2020

Tsarnaev, who helped to carry out the 2013 bombing that took the lives of three people and injured over 260, was sentenced to death in 2015. However, his attorney successfully argued before the Appeals Court that the maximum punishment handed out to his client was the result of an unfair trial, claiming that the jury was biased against the attacker due to the attention the high-profile case received in the media.

Arguably the most notorious coverage of the worst US domestic terrorist attack since 9/11 came from Rolling Stone magazine, which put Tsarnaev on the cover, sparking huge blowback across the nation.

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Death sentence for Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev overturned by US Appeals Court

Tsarnaev now faces another trial to determine whether he will be executed or will be confined to his prison cell for the rest of his days.

“Just to be crystal clear. Dzhokhar will remain confined to prison for the rest of his life, with the only question remaining being whether the government will end his life by executing him,” the court wrote after announcing the decision on Thursday.

On Friday, Trump had already lashed out at the appellate court’s ruling to send Tsarnaev’s case back to a lower court for a retrial, expressing concern that the litigation might drag on for years.

“So they’ll argue about that for a long time. It’s ridiculous. Think of that. It’s ridiculous,” Trump said at a campaign stop in Florida.

During interrogation by police, Tsarnaev, who was 19 at the time of the attack he plotted and carried out with his older brother, Tamerlan, said that the marathon bombing was supposed to be the first in a wave of attacks.

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‘Socialist Trump?’ Trump says ‘changes must be made soon’ to tackle income disparity in ...

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 03:06:08 GMT

US President Donald Trump has said he sides with the notion that the income gap between billionaires and the rest of Americans has grown too big, vowing to take action “soon” in a tweet, that left his detractors puzzled.

“I actually agree with this. Too much income disparity. Changes must be made, and soon!,” Trump wrote on Saturday, retweeting a Business Insider clip that cites a recent report by the Institute for Policy Studies, claiming that total US billionaire wealth grew by $637 between March and June, while 40 million Americans lost their jobs.

I actually agree with this. Too much income disparity. Changes must be made, and soon! https://t.co/YZx6gPDTMb
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2020

The video takes aim at the successive US governments, including Trump’s one administration, for prioritizing major corporations over small and medium-sized enterprises in anti-crisis packages.

“The Small Business Administration made $349 billion available to small businesses with the Paycheck Protection Program. But like in 2008, $243 million of that was snapped up by large, publicly traded corporations, some of which were valued at over $100 million.”

The clip also appears to take a swipe directly at Trump’s 2017 tax reform, saying that in addition to government assistance and “own resources to profit from during economic upheavals,” billionaires enjoy “wealth-friendly tax laws and loopholes.”

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Robin Hood in reverse: US billionaires paid lower tax rates than working class in 2018 in latest blow to capitalism

The video specifically mentions Amazon CEO Jeff Bezoz, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk as well as multi-billionaire casino magnate and Trump’s donor Sheldon Adelson among those who have seen their fortunes skyrocket at the backdrop of the pandemic, that has proved devastating to small businesses.

Trump’s tweet, which hardly aligns with traditional conservative talking points, has prompted some to suggest that the Republican president has gone rogue, embracing socialist agenda, more becoming to the likes of self-avowed “democratic socialist” Bernie Sanders.

Bernie's people love him on this too. https://t.co/JaR5Guu0ty
— Scott Lincicome (@scottlincicome) August 2, 2020

“This guy is trying to make me vote for him,” journalist and self-described social liberal Tim Pool, who supported Bernie Sanders in 2016, tweeted.

This guy is trying to make me vote for him https://t.co/0WcLqZkDom
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) August 2, 2020

if trump comes out for a wealth tax or something i'm going insane https://t.co/WgPKLIaJ9L
— Jolah (@jolahpoliticsYT) August 1, 2020

We stan socialist trump
— Cam Kasky (@cameron_kasky) August 1, 2020

The clip cites several solutions to the income gap problem, including an “emergency 10 percent millionaire income surtax,” and a “wealth tax.”

American neoconservative political analyst Bill Kristol even suggested House Democrats come up with “some kind of emergency surtax bill” to taste the waters.

House Democrats should pass some kind of emergency surtax on the super-rich next week just to see if Trump endorses it and actually pressures Senate Republicans to bring it up. https://t.co/j0NWwXP9iI
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) August 1, 2020

While many appeared to be taken aback by Trump’s tweet seemingly in support of progressive agenda, it hardly came out of the blue. Although Trump has stayed away from this kind of rhetoric during his presidency, he proposed a one-time 14.25 percent tax on parts of households' with net worth exceeding $10 million as far back as in 1999. The measure should have helped to wipe off the national debt, he claimed.

"By my calculations, 1% of Americans, who control 90% of the wealth in this country, would be affected by my plan," Trump said at the time.

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Trump tax plan helps ultra wealthy, businesses more than middle class, hurts single parents

While on the campaign trail for the 2016 elections, Trump promised that he would stick it to the riches, himself included. "It’s going to cost me a fortune, which is actually true,” he said in September 2015, referring to his tax plan proposal, that was supposed to close loopholes on the wealthy, lower overall rates, and free half of Americans from income tax.

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Democrat congressman tests positive for Covid-19, blames Republicans for not wearing masks

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 00:42:07 GMT

Fights over Covid-19 mask mandates have spread from Main Street America to the halls of Congress, where a Democrat lawmaker is blaming Republican colleagues for his positive virus test because they failed to wear face coverings.

Representative Raul Grijalva said Saturday that some Republican lawmakers are failing to take the pandemic seriously, putting others at risk. "Numerous Republican members routinely strut around the Capital without a mask to selfishly make a political statement at the expense of their colleagues, staff and their families," Grijalva said.

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Liberals leap to politicize Herman Cain’s Covid-19 death because he ‘didn’t wear a mask’

His accusations follow flare-ups in congressional hearings in the past week, with Democrats demanding that Republican members wear masks. One of the most high-profile spats came at the House Judiciary Committee hearing on July 28, when Chairman Jerry Nadler scolded three Republican members who were pulling down their masks to drink coffee or take their turns questioning Attorney General William Barr. Nadler pulled down his own mask to chide them, leading to ridicule.

Grijalva, who is asymptomatic, learned of his diagnosis Friday evening. He had been isolating himself since Wednesday, after learning that Republican Representative Louie Gohmert had tested positive for the virus. Grijalva attended a hearing on Tuesday with Gohmert.

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Next-level protection: Anti-Covid HELMET uses space technologies to stop virus in its tracks (VIDEO)

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain died Thursday after being hospitalized with coronavirus on July 1. Democrats, including Representative Maxine Waters, were quick to politicize his death. Waters said Cain contracted the virus because he attended a rally for President Donald Trump in Tulsa, Oklahoma, without wearing a mask, although it’s unclear if that was really where he got infected.

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ACLU gets to decide who’s a journalist? Judge suggests having group vet reporters to protect ...

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 23:41:32 GMT

A federal judge in Portland has proposed making the American Civil Liberties Union an arbiter to distinguish between legitimate journalists and protesters-in-disguise – a move with important implications for press protections.

The issue stems from an order by US District Judge Michael Simon last week banning federal officers from arresting or assaulting journalists covering the ongoing protests in Portland. Federal agencies said the ruling was untenable because some protesters are falsely labeling themselves as press in nightly clashes outside the federal courthouse.

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Oregon judge bans feds from arresting or using force against ‘journalists & legal observers’ at Portland protests

Simon said Friday that requiring journalists to be vetted by the ACLU and giving blue vests to those who are legitimate could be a solution to properly identifying reporters. He cited a video submitted by the government showing a protester with the word “press” on his helmet bursting through a barrier outside the courthouse and trying to coordinate an attack.

“Simply having ‘press’ on your helmet might not be the best way to preserve first amendment rights,” Simon said.

Huh? The ACLU has no authority to adjudicate who qualifies as a “journalist” https://t.co/LSOTiBRp4o
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) August 1, 2020

Matt Borden, a lawyer who represented the ACLU and journalists in seeking the restraining order, said he doesn’t think the ACLU or any other organization should be put in the position of deciding who’s a journalist.

The question of journalist legitimacy has become murkier in an era where anyone with a phone and an internet connection can do reporting and call themselves a reporter. Choosing the decision-maker is all the more tricky.

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American Civil Liberties Union has abandoned civil liberties for crowd-pleasing gestures, former director warns

Conservative journalists might have justified trepidation about the ACLU being an arbiter for their profession. Liberal law professor Alan Dershowitz wrote in 2018 that the ACLU had become a “hyper-partisan, hard-left political advocacy group” rather than a neutral defender of civil liberties.

Heaven help us.

“We could redefine ‘journalist’ to someone who is authorized by the ACLU,” U.S. District Judge Michael Simon said. “The ACLU could maintain a list of who they are giving vests to and give them appropriate guidance and instructions."

!!!!https://t.co/peCwVKI6kg
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) August 1, 2020

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‘We’re here for the long run’: TikTok’s US general manager dismisses Trump’s ban plan

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 18:11:01 GMT

As the clock runs down on Friday night’s vow by President Donald Trump to ban TikTok in the US, the Chinese-owned social media platform has responded by insisting that it’s not going anywhere and plans to create more US jobs.

“We've heard your outpouring of support and we want to say thank you, we're not planning on going anywhere,” TikTok US General Manager Vanessa Pappas said in a video message on Saturday morning.

She added that TikTok already has 1,500 employees in the US, plans to hire an additional 10,000 over the next three years, and has a billion-dollar fund to support creators on the massively popular video-sharing platform.

A message to the TikTok community. pic.twitter.com/UD3TR2HfEf
— TikTok (@tiktok_us) August 1, 2020

The appeal came after Trump told reporters on Friday that he would ban TikTok through an executive order as early as Saturday. The Trump administration has been considering the move for weeks, citing national security concerns, and warned Americans last month that downloading the TikTok application would expose their private information to the Chinese government.

TikTok has insisted that its data is stored in the US, with strict controls over employee access. In a bid to escape the ban, the platform's Beijing-based parent company ByteDance is reportedly looking to sell its US operations, possibly in a deal with Microsoft. Trump told reporters, however, that such a transaction would not resolve the issue.

Pappas dismissed privacy concerns in her statement, saying that “when it comes to safety and security, we're building the safety app because we know it's the right thing to do.”

Banning the platform would likely be more difficult in the US than in India, which already blocked TikTok and dozens of other Chinese applications last month. Unlike India and China, the US doesn't have a firewall to block internet content nationally.

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‘Best gift he can give the Dems’: #GenZ trending after Trump announces TikTok ban, sending Twitter into overdrive

The Trump administration could force Apple and Google to stop making TikTok available in their application stores, or it could put the company on a list of foreign entities that may be involved in activities contrary to US national security interests.

Tiktok has tens of millions of users in the US and was downloaded 7.5 million times in the country in June alone. It's known for having a largely teenage audience, but its user base is trending older. The 25- to 34-year-old age group accounted for 27.4 percent of users in April, up from 22.4 percent in January, according to social media advertising agency Wallaroo Media.

Pappas also appealed to TikTok's large user base to help stop any potential US shutdown. “We appreciate the support,” she said, adding, “We're here for the long run. Continue to share your voice here, and let's stand for TikTok.”

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Pro-lifers arrested for chalking ‘Black PRE-BORN Lives Matter’ outside Planned Parenthood ...

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 17:35:17 GMT

Black Lives Matter’s slogan has seemingly spawned new imitators with their own political agendas, as two anti-abortion activists were arrested for chalking their own pro-life message on a sidewalk outside an abortion clinic.

The pair of anti-abortion activists wrote their slogan – “Black Pre-born Lives Matter” – outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Washington, DC, on Saturday. In a video later shared by the activists, a police officer is seen approaching the group and warning them to stop chalking, before arresting them when they continued regardless.

BABY LIVES MATTER MURAL pic.twitter.com/owqjQxQ1qL
— Tayler Hansen (@TaylerUSA) July 17, 2020

According to the organizers of Saturday’s protest, the Students For Life group had received a police permit to actually paint their message onto the street, and were surprised when they arrived to see “police cars threatening to arrest us.” The chalk, they said, was a backup plan that they thought would please the cops.

The activists say they were emboldened by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s decision in June to have ‘Black Lives Matter’ painted in 35-foot letters onto a street near the White House. New York’s Bill de Blasio followed suit last month, personally helping to daub the letters onto a prime stretch of Fifth Avenue – right outside Trump Tower.

They aren’t the only pro-lifers to daub similar messages on the pavement. Anti-abortion activist Tayler Hansen and his supporters have taken to painting “Baby Lives Matter” murals onto streets across the country, attracting national media attention when he did so in Salt Lake City, Utah last month.

BABY LIVES MATTER MURAL pic.twitter.com/owqjQxQ1qL
— Tayler Hansen (@TaylerUSA) July 17, 2020

The ‘Black Lives Matter’ slogan has been endorsed by politicians, corporations, and the mainstream media. However, it’s spawned a slew of similar slogans that haven’t been similarly approved. For instance, the pro-police counter-slogan ‘Blue Lives Matter’ has been slammed by BLM activists as racist.

However, the activists behind ‘Baby Lives Matter’ and ‘Black Pre-born Lives Matter’ claim to work on behalf of the black community. As the abortion rate among black women is almost four times higher than among white women, they consider organizations like Planned Parenthood anti-black. “Today, across America, Planned Parenthood will end 360 black lives,” they wrote on Saturday. “And we will no longer be silent.”

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WATCH ‘peaceful’ Portland protesters burn Bible & flag, 24 hours after torching pig’s ...

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 12:58:00 GMT

Demonstrators in Portland set Bibles and US flags on fire amid protests that have spanned nearly 2 months. The day before, protesters torched a pig’s head with police clothing, though they still claim their movement is peaceful.

Footage published by RT’s Ruptly video agency shows a group of protesters on Friday night gathered around a burning Bible, with several individuals mockingly warming their hands around the fire. Laughter and shouts of “F**k Trump” can be heard in the background.

US flags were also burned by the protesters, who were seen crowding around the fire and taking photographs.

The provocative bonfires come one night after demonstrators torched a severed pig’s head that was placed under an American flag. The head was decorated with a police officer’s hat, leaving little to the imagination.

Antifa protesters dumped a bloody severed pig's head on an American flag outside the Justice Center in downtown Portland. They put a cop's hat on it and set all of it on fire. #PortlandRiots #antifa pic.twitter.com/qfAOT4ItxP
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 31, 2020

Although Friday night saw considerably less violence than in previous days, protesters were still spotted setting fires and committing other acts of vandalism in the downtown area.

Tensions in the city have been on the rise following the deployment of federal agents tasked with protecting the Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse. The federal officers have been accused of using excessive force to protect the building, but the task force claims that it has come under repeated assault by demonstrators and has responded accordingly.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reached a deal with Oregon Governor Kate Brown earlier this week, in which state police would be used to keep the peace during demonstrations. Federal forces will remain in the city but will only be used as a last resort. US President Donald Trump has warned that “anarchists and agitators” must be dealt with before federal officers can be withdrawn from the city.

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Federal agents won’t leave Portland until ‘anarchists and agitators’ are properly dealt with – Trump

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Federal agents won’t leave Portland until ‘anarchists and agitators’ are properly dealt ...

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 07:15:21 GMT

Portland must be free of violent protesters before federal officers operating in the city can leave, Donald Trump has warned, after the Oregon government announced that agents would be replaced by state police.

“Homeland Security is not leaving Portland until local police complete cleanup of Anarchists and Agitators!” the US president tweeted on Saturday.

Local media reported that Friday night’s protest in the city was attended by several thousand people and was largely peaceful.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chief Chad Wolf and Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced on Wednesday a joint plan to reduce the role of federal agents charged with guarding the Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse against increasingly violent protests.

Under the agreement, Oregon State Police will be tasked with supervising demonstrations in the downtown area, while DHS agents will remain on standby and will only be used as a last resort.

Also on rt.com

Trump vows to deploy National Guard to quell Portland's ‘beehive of terrorists’ if feds fail to stop unrest by ‘tomorrow’

However, Trump has repeatedly stated that the withdrawal of federal forces could only happen if the violence in Portland comes to an end. The president warned on Thursday that he would deploy the National Guard to the city if local law enforcement were unable to cope with the “beehive of terrorists” who have been protesting outside the federal courthouse for more than two months.

The presence of federal agents in Portland has sparked a nationwide debate, with state officials and media accusing the DHS task force of excessive force and seizing and detaining protesters without probable cause. Officials in Washington have argued that the officers, which were deployed in early July, have been assaulted and attacked for weeks and have only retaliated when protesters become violent.

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