Donald Trump, Joe Biden hit out at each other after one shot dead during protests in Portland
On Saturday, a man was shot dead after a number of Trump supporters with about 600 vehicles arrived in the city.
United States President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden hit out at each other over the violence in Portland, Oregon, after a man was shot dead in the city, BBC reported on Monday.
Portland is one of the cities where protests have been going on against police brutality and racism after the killing of African American man George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25. Protests under the Black Lives Matter banner have been going on in the city for nearly 100 consecutive nights.
On Saturday, a man was shot dead after a number of Trump supporters with about 600 vehicles arrived in the city and were met with counter-protestors, leading to clashes, AP reported. The police have not divulged details of the victim, who was shot in the chest. The man who was killed in Portland was wearing a hat with an insignia of far-right group Patriot Prayer, according to The New York Times.
In a tweet on Monday, Trump said Biden was “unwilling to lead or even speak out against crime” and called Ted Wheeler, the Democratic mayor of Portland, a “fool”. Wheeler hit back at Trump, accusing him of creating hate and vision.
Earlier on August 24, Trump appeared to be encouraging his supporters to drive to Portland. A day after the shooting, Trump shared a video of a caravan heading towards Portland and called them “great patriots”.
..The people of Portland, like all other cities & parts of our great Country, want Law & Order. The Radical Left Democrat Mayors, like the dummy running Portland, or the guy right now in his basement unwilling to lead or even speak out against crime, will never be able to do it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2020
On Sunday, Biden said that the American president was “recklessly encouraging violence”, Reuters reported. “What does President Trump think will happen when he continues to insist on fanning the flames of hate and division in our society and using the politics of fear to whip up his supporters?” he asked. “He is recklessly encouraging violence.”
The Portland mayor also warned people against coming to the city to seek revenge. “For those of you saying on Twitter this morning that you plan to come to Portland to seek retribution, I’m calling on you to stay away,” he said.
Meanwhile, Acting Homeland Security chief Secretary Chad Wolf blamed the local authorities for failing to curb the violence. “I’m asking Portland officials, so that’s the mayor, that’s the governor and that’s local law enforcement, to do their job to address any violent activity that is occurring in their streets,” Wolf said in a television interview.