In a sharp rebuke of President Trump, the US Conference of Mayors released a statement Tuesday that they were “outraged by and opposed to” the plan set forth by Trump to unilaterally decide to send federal agents to American cities.

“America’s mayors are outraged by and oppose the unrequested deployment of federal law enforcement officers to our cities.  As we have seen in Portland, their presence and their actions have exacerbated a situation that Mayor Ted Wheeler said was calming down and led to increased violence in the streets,” the statement read.  “Further it terrorized peaceful demonstrators, some of whom were allegedly rounded up by individuals in military fatigues who did not identify themselves and put into unmarked vehicles, never being told why they were being detained.”

In widely circulated videos, protesters in Portland, Oregon were detained by individuals in tactical camouflage and spirited away in unmarked cars, at least one of which was leased by a rental car agency.

On Tuesday night, supposed federal agents tossed tear gas into a crowd of protesters, who had the Wall of Moms in the front.  On Monday, a 53-year-old Navy veteran and Naval Academy alumnus, talking peacefully to law enforcement, was beaten by supposed federal agents with batons, breaking his wrist; the attack was caught on video.

The extreme response to protests that were largely peaceful and winding down met with sharp criticism from politicians, civil rights groups and other advocates on all sides of the political spectrum.

In response, Trump has announced that he will deploy more federal agents to other cities, including Chicago and Albuquerque, supposedly to address crime.  This, too, has been denounced by leaders, and pundits have suspected it was an election year ploy to make Trump appear tough on crime while he grants clemency to political allies.

“Policing is a local and state function.  For the federal government to come uninvited, not coordinate with local or state officials, and arrest their residents without probable cause, is an unprecedented and dangerous threat to our democracy and to the future of our great country,” the statement concludes.  “We call on the President and his Administration to cease and desist this activity.”