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Mayor Walsh: Federal Officers Dispatched To Portland Protests 'Not Welcome' In Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- Boston Mayor Marty Walsh criticized the handling of protesters in Portland, Oregon, and called it "a political ploy by the President."

"We've seen the footage of unidentified federal officers aggressively detaining protesters in Portland, Oregon. We've heard the President say he's bringing this strategy to Chicago and other cities," Walsh said at a press conference Tuesday. "I want to express my support for Mayor Wheeler of Portland and Mayor Lightfoot of Chicago. They've made it very clear that these federal actions were not needed or wanted or invited into their cities."

According to the mayor, Boston is not a target but he "[wants] to make it absolutely clear: that behavior and that type of so-called help is not welcome here in the city of Boston. It's being done with no communication and working with no locally-elected or no Public Safety Agency in those different cities. It's being done with no regard for the rights or safety of protesters and appears to be needlessly escalating situations."

Walsh, along with several other mayors across the country has signed a letter "asking the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security to withdraw these forces and end this strategy immediately."

A letter was also sent to Congress, asking for public hearings on this issue.

"In Boston, we support the movement for racial justice," said Walsh, while noting the vast majority of the protests in the city have been peaceful and the Boston Police Department preserved public safety.

"When people want to come and demonstrate, the last thing you want to do is confront them, because people are demonstrating their emotion," he said. "I don't think by poking and inciting violence is the way to do it, and that's quite honestly what's happened to Portland."

"Unfortunately, this seems to be another situation where the President, who doesn't understand or believe in those rights. That's an unfortunate situation in the United States of America, but we'll continue to live by our values of inclusion and respect here in the city of Boston, and I will stand with my colleagues around the country."

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