People who have been arrested since late May on non-violent misdemeanor charges during protests that have racked Oregon’s largest city for more than 70 days won’t be prosecuted.
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said Tuesday the new policy recognizes the outrage and frustration over a history of racial injustice that has led to sustained, often violent protests in Portland.
He said the new policy also recognizes the more practical realities of the court system, which is running more than two months behind in processing cases because of COVID-19.
At least several hundred people who have been arrested in the past few months will not face criminal prosecution.
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