#Federal agents likely permanently blinded by Portland protesters’ lasers, White House says

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A laser pointed at the face of a federal agent in Portland.
Dave Killen/The Oregonian via AP

Three federal agents who were sent to Portland, Ore., to try to help quell the city’s  violent protests were “likely left permanently blinded” from clashes, White House officials said Friday.

“A federal agent’s hand was impaled by planted nails, another federal agent was shot with a pellet gun, leaving a wound deep to the bone, and tragically, three federal officers were likely left permanently blinded by the rioters using lasers pointed directly into their eyes,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Friday.

All five of the injured federal agents were hurt Monday during ongoing protests at the Multnomah County Justice Center and a nearby federal courthouse in Oregon’s largest city.

President Trump’s press secretary warned, “The Trump administration will not stand by and allow anarchy in our streets.”

The federal agents were hurt during a confrontation late Monday as a crowd of more than 1,000 protesters descended on the federal courthouse, Fox News reported.

In addition to targeting the federal agents, the demonstrators tossed fireworks at the federal courthouse, where one person also threatened to cut off the building’s water supply, according to the report.

Richard Cline, deputy director of the Federal Protective Service, told reporters at a press conference Tuesday that the 1,000-plus “rioters” also started to remove plywood coverings outside the Hatfield Federal Courthouse — and also threw objects through its windows.

Several fires also broke out during the melee and protesters vandalized the building with spray paint while blocking traffic and nearby intersections, Cline said.

“When officers responded to put out these fires, glass bottles were thrown and lasers — which can cause permanent blindness — were shined in their eyes,” Cline said. “We have three officers who currently have eye injuries, and they may not recover sight in those eyes from those laser attacks.”

FPS officials have since reportedly purchased protective eyewear for the federal officers to wear.

The laser attacks on federal agents continued late Thursday as an estimated 2,000 protesters again flooded the streets outside the justice center and adjacent courthouse.

In response, more than 100 federal agents shot tear gas and fired impact munitions to disperse the crowd, The Oregonian reported.