The FBI is warning of a specific threat to federal buildings in Portland, which have been closed through the weekend.
A senior law enforcement official said officers and agencies are operating off a tip about a vehicle carrying an improvised explosive device.
The official said they are still assessing the credibility of the threat. They spoke on background because they weren’t authorized to speak on the record.
Federal law enforcement has deployed a full suite of resources to locate the vehicle, including aircraft, the official stated.
FBI spokesperson Beth Anne Steele declined to provide specifics about the threat. She said the agency doesn’t know if the threat is connected to the racial justice protests that have continued in the city for months.
“Given all the criminal violence that we’ve seen lately, while there’s no reason to connect it to that criminal violence, certainly in this atmosphere, it certainly raises a concern,” Steele told OPB. “Because there are concerns about this reported threat, we are continuing to investigate it and trying to determine whether it’s credible or not credible.”
Steele noted the FBI assesses threats daily, but this threat was specific enough to raise the level of concern. The FBI said anyone with information can call them at 800-225-5324 or 503-224-4181.
This weekend, conservatives plan to hold a “No to Marxism in America Rally” in downtown Portland during daytime hours.
Counterprotesters are expected to show up, raising concerns about clashes. In recent weeks, violence between protesters with different political views have led to acts of violence.
