New surveillance footage released by the FBI shows protesters as responsible for breaking a large window during a Jan. 30 protest declared a riot by the Eugene Police Department at the downtown Eugene Federal Building. The videos appear to contradict claims that federal agents were responsible for breaking the window.
The videos, released Feb. 13 on an FBI website, show federal agents inside watching protesters before the large window is shattered. After the window was broken, agents rushed forward and shot pepper balls and other less lethal munitions at protesters outside. One agent is seen pointing what appears to be an AR-15 style rifle at protesters.
Surveillance footage appears to show protesters breaking the window of the Eugene Federal Building (top left of screen).
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin claimed that protesters caused more than $200,000 in damage to the Eugene Federal Building during the Jan. 30 protest. Video captured by James Anderson, owner of the YouTube channel Community Matters PNW, and photographer Kate Harnedy shows a federal agent rushing forward and throwing a tear gas canister through the glass, contributing to the damage. The released surveillance footage was cut off before this event occurred. The released footage does not include time stamps.
Eugene Weekly had previously reported that it was unclear who had broken the window.
After federal agents deployed tear gas, flash bangs and pepper balls, Eugene Weekly witnessed the building’s alarm system going off inside the building. It is unclear how much tear gas deployed by federal agents entered the building through the broken windows, causing further damage.
The videos do not show protesters breaching the building, contradicting FBI claims that protesters had entered the building.
