On July 16, thanks to a story by Oregon Public Broadcast (OPB), the world learned the saga of Mark Pettibone. Pettibone had been leaving protests that OPB described as calm. While departing, he was warned that camouflaged men were snatching protesters off the street and throwing them into civilian cars. Shortly after, Pettibone himself fell prey. Four to five men in camouflage shoved him into a vehicle and whisked him away.

For those familiar with what was unfolding in Portland, none of this was news. Sometime earlier in the month, Trump had deployed US Marshalls and Customs and Border Patrol, both part of the Department of Homeland Security, to Portland, ostensibly to protect federal courthouses from petty vandalism. In reality, they were there to suppress protests. Reports, and even a chilling video, had already emerged of men in camouflage abducting protesters off the streets. While their uniforms said “police,” the men gave no indication what agency they were with or who they were.

Pettibone’s story helped propel the frightening situation in Portland into the national spotlight. The phrase “Trump’s secret police” became commonplace not just among activists, but sitting senators.