Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Sam Levin in Medford, Oregon, with photographs by Amanda Lucier

Oregon abandoned its radical drug law. Then came the mass arrests

A person sits on the curb with handcuffed hands behind their back, looking on as police officers detain more people feet away
Police officers carry out arrests in Medford, Oregon, on 25 February. Due to the state’s ‘war on drugs’, many of these people are rearrested for possession or camping violations. Photograph: Amanda Lucier/The Guardian

At 7.45am on a cool February morning in Medford, Oregon, six police officers pulled up to a desolate road lined with tarps and a shopping cart and began making arrests.

The officers directed four adults to sit on the sidewalk, handcuffing them behind their backs and rifling through their pockets. They were being detained for illegal camping, but the officers were also searching for evidence of drugs.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.