Federal law enforcement officers have the legal right to protect federal buildings and other federal property. They do not have the right to leap out of unmarked cars, heavily armed and in camouflage, single out peaceful protesters, shove them into cars, fail to identify themselves, take their captives to a federal building and detain them for hours before releasing them. Despite the objections of the mayor, the governor and other officials, this has been happening Portland, Oregon.

These episodes are straight out of the fascist playbook. If Trump is re-elected, he will claim that practices such as these have been approved by voters. He knows that the corrupt and craven Republican political establishment won’t restrain him. He will push the power of intimidation to the limit, then beyond the limit.

Fascist techniques are being field tested in this country. During a second Trump term they would likely become standard operating procedure.

Edward PackardDurango