![Federal officers use chemical irritants to disperse protesters outside federal courthouse in Portland](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/50151a4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4270x2846+0+1/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9e%2F14%2Fe136f5fb4beead6414a54752abf0%2Fracial-injustice-portland-05856.jpg)
A bloodied demonstrator is arrested by federal police during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse on Monday in Portland, Ore.
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
PORTLAND, Ore. — Federal law enforcement officers’ actions at protests in Oregon’s largest city, conducted without local authorities’ consent, are raising the prospect of a constitutional crisis — one that could escalate as weeks of demonstrations find renewed focus amid clashes with camouflaged, unidentified agents outside Portland’s U.S. courthouse.
![A topless protester gestures in front of federal police personnel in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/76d41ea/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6016x4016+0+0/resize/2000x1335!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6a%2F56%2F19c8dc524d8a8b7192bea5b65f02%2Fhttps-delivery.gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1227783341.jpg)
A protester gestures in front of federal police personnel in Portland, Ore., as protests continue across the United States.
(AFP )
![A demonstrator shouts slogans next to military veterans during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/adab0a5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4412x2941+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe2%2F57%2Fc84ce21e4c9ab445c4521fe1cae3%2Fracial-injustice-portland-31177.jpg)
A demonstrator shouts slogans using a bullhorn next to a group of military veterans during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)
![Federal officers advance on protesters during a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c412f32/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4080x2720+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F64%2F30%2F4928a1894556ab6349ed88f5b28a%2Fracial-injustice-portland-both-sides-of-fence-62794.jpg)
Federal officers advance on protesters during a Black Lives Matter demonstration at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, Ore.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)
![Demonstrators use leaf blowers to blow back tear gas launched by federal officers during a protest in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5299e24/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4333x2889+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F62%2Ffd%2F282758374c949752f8e0e7a9caa3%2Fracial-injustice-portland-50244.jpg)
Demonstrators use leaf blowers to try to blow back tear gas launched by federal officers during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Ore.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)
![Demonstrators sit and kneel as tear gas fills the air during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/10554fe/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4768x3179+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F11%2Fa2%2F9b92bc354fd68e856df186c1f141%2Fracial-injustice-portland-12618.jpg)
Demonstrators sit and kneel as tear gas fills the air during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Ore.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)
![A demonstrator plays a trumpet from atop a steel fence during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3ba2729/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5472x3648+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F20%2F71%2F8dc7acc1463bb9ea99385203b54e%2Fracial-injustice-portland-32764.jpg)
A demonstrator plays a trumpet from atop a steel fence during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Ore.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)
![A demonstrator speaks to a crowd from the bed of a pickup truck during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/14aff54/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4891x3261+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa0%2Fc4%2F4cbe621748ad9a260be2d33733a5%2Fracial-injustice-portland-64086.jpg)
A demonstrator speaks to a crowd from the bed of a pickup truck during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Ore.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)
![A demonstrator argues with a federal officer during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1a2655a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5096x3397+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F54%2F50%2F41ed94a548c6a3071ca705482994%2Fracial-injustice-portland-80021.jpg)
A demonstrator argues with a federal officer during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Ore.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)
![Protesters carry umbrellas as they gather at the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f2db6f7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5320x3840+0+0/resize/2000x1444!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5d%2F70%2Febf5cdbf4dc8968a36eab3c8158b%2Fhttps-delivery.gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1227797313.jpg)
Protestors carry umbrellas as they gather at the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in Portland, Ore.
(AFP)
![Federal officers walk through tear gas while dispersing a crowd at Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8520d5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4655x3108+0+0/resize/2000x1335!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcc%2F5f%2F1d2c5ba94bce879c7f87306dcf37%2Fgettyimages-1227734326.jpg)
Federal officers walk through tear gas while dispersing a crowd of about 1,000 people during a protest at Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, Ore.
(Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
![A protester escapes a federal officer during an arrest attempt in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5a4f35a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3740x2493+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F44%2F66%2F1b792349435d8c7cb378ff0c5e84%2Fgettyimages-1227734130.jpg)
A protester escapes a federal officer during an arrest attempt in front of the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, Ore.
(Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
![Hundreds of protesters hold their phones aloft on Monday in Portland, Ore.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4437103/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6048x4024+0+0/resize/2000x1331!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F05%2F2f%2Fb2e3c8f3460386bd3cf313c20ae5%2Fracial-injustice-portland-70758.jpg)
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
![A federal officer pepper-sprays a protester in front of the federal courthouse in Portland, Ore., on Monday.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bb4dddd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5900x3933+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9a%2Fdb%2Feedbf956482b96041b8d83cec6b4%2Fhttps-delivery.gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1227716850.jpg)
(Nathan Howard / Getty Images)
![Portland demonstrators on Monday.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/95c41a6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6016x4016+0+0/resize/2000x1335!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa3%2F08%2F5e0de40a4946b2d42f6d89c689a0%2Fhttps-delivery.gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1227718507.jpg)
(Nathan Howard / Getty Images)
![Federal agents use crowd-control munitions to disperse protesters on Sunday.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/985b4a4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5231x3481+0+0/resize/2000x1331!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcc%2F58%2F5b16ded040dea3a355c8b5cd7062%2Fap20202427275719.jpg)
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
![Protesters flee through tear gas.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f6d30c9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5682x3788+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff7%2F5b%2Fba73c96741d19b458d3d6e3ed615%2Fhttps-delivery.gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1227717730.jpg)
( Nathan Howard / Getty Images)
![Federal officers on the streets of Portland on Tuesday.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9a0e1dd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4352x2896+0+0/resize/2000x1331!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F61%2F7c%2F4e87a80a45faad010b4bdec82016%2Fracial-injustice-portland-35666.jpg)
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
![Police walk through fire and smoke in Portland.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d3584ff/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2592x1728+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Feb%2F92%2F31b696fb48b2b92fc34bbb898a13%2Fap20151333943982.jpg)
(Dave Killen / Oregonian)
![A protester walks past a line of federal officers on Tuesday.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/451afff/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5722x3819+0+0/resize/2000x1335!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffc%2F2c%2F6ad70f1a444db47a81f9b7e04f82%2Fhttps-delivery.gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1227717428.jpg)
(Nathan Howard / Getty Images)
![Tear gas in Portland.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/065994c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2592x1728+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F69%2Fe6%2Fc61fd4a4412087e02de0d21bbd0f%2Fap20151268539564.jpg)
(Dave Killen / Oregonian )
![Police respond to protesters.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f10f40e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2666+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8b%2Fad%2F7aa56cec466fa43aa58b84d951f5%2Fap20200666501963.jpg)
(Dave Killen / Oregonian )
![A police officer is silhouetted near a burning car.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/871f4fe/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2666+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc8%2F83%2F73f7e71e4f4fb6b581791e6a3cd5%2Fap20151313116231.jpg)
(Mark Graves / Oregonian)
![Outside the federal courthouse in Portland on Monday.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bb0a65f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5897x3931+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa4%2F61%2Ff953fc814a8a935739aa4a2ae1df%2Fhttps-delivery.gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1227718695.jpg)
(Nathan Howard / Getty Images)
![A federal officer points to a protester while clearing the street in front of the federal courthouse.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1124463/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5651x3772+0+0/resize/2000x1335!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F54%2Ff9%2Fd3f18f7249bc8456bed6360ac5a9%2Fhttps-delivery.gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1227718577.jpg)
(Nathan Howard / Getty Images)
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
![Protesters outside a police station in Portland.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/955b04b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2666+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3b%2F61%2Fcd09b180423ca2e729b82f080fe0%2Fap20199554748172.jpg)
(Sean Meagher / Oregonian )
![Federal officers and a protester carrying an American flag face off.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b2ed69b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4764x3180+0+0/resize/2000x1335!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fed%2Fc7%2Fd8b4426940909636dba64e10d9f2%2Fhttps-delivery.gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1227717709.jpg)
(Nathan Howard / Getty Images)
![Federal agents and tear gas.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9385788/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2666+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F23%2F7e%2F1d3565fe4acda285587abb8af82d%2Fap20200664635283.jpg)
(Dave Killen / Oregonian)
![A protester waves an American flag.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8f0fe84/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5800x3866+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F96%2Fd809eda34313a366bd9006d9b7a1%2Fhttps-delivery.gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1227717513.jpg)
(Nathan Howard / Getty Images)
![Federal officers stand guard.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1c86bc2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5685x3796+0+0/resize/2000x1335!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc4%2F4d%2F2528f58243fb881e028d980ccab4%2Fhttps-delivery.gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1227718798.jpg)
(Nathan Howard / Getty Images)
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