Tens of thousands of protesters congregated in downtown Portland on Saturday for a “No Kings” rally aimed at opposing the Trump administration. This demonstration coincided with a military parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary and the president’s birthday.
Additional gatherings are scheduled at various locations, including the Oregon Convention Center, Clackamas, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Vancouver, Washington, and towns along the Oregon Coast. Organizers previously held a successful “Hands Off!” event on April 5, attracting over 12,000 participants in downtown Portland.
Due to the large turnout, Portland police temporarily closed the Morrison and Hawthorne Bridges, as well as Southwest Naito Parkway, where the march began at Waterfront Park. By early Saturday evening, these routes were reopened to traffic. These protests follow a wave of demonstrations across the nation sparked by recent federal immigration enforcement raids, as well as President Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, where protests resulted in blocked freeways and vehicle fires.
In Portland, some nighttime demonstrations escalated into physical confrontations between protesters and federal agents at the ICE facility. Federal agents responded with pepper balls, while protesters were accused of vandalism, attempts to start fires, and other offenses, leading to 10 arrests on Thursday night and three on Wednesday night.
In contrast, the daytime protests at the ICE facility remained predominantly peaceful throughout the week. Additionally, two vineyard workers from Newberg were arrested by ICE on Thursday, and earlier in the month, four arrests were made outside a Portland Immigration Courthouse, with two individuals later released after legal intervention from the Innovation Law Lab.
The ongoing arrests have led to a persistent presence of protesters outside the Portland ICE facility on South Macadam Avenue, with individuals camping overnight on several occasions. In response to these events, Portland city and Multnomah County leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to the city’s sanctuary status and the right to protest as the demonstrations unfolded.
The Multnomah County District Attorney urged against “hijacking” peaceful protests with acts of vandalism or violence, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a constructive narrative, especially in light of past protests in 2020.
