On Sunday afternoon and into the evening, hundreds gathered outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Portland to protest the Trump administration’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to the city.
Federal agents armed with long-barrel firearms were seen patrolling from nearby rooftops. The crowd included families with children riding bikes, alongside long-time protesters dressed in the “black bloc” style, complete with ski masks and sunglasses, who have been demonstrating outside the Portland ICE facility intermittently for months.
The atmosphere during the afternoon protest was lively, filled with chants and bucket drumming, though the event remained mostly peaceful. An armed escort of around two dozen agents moved into the crowd whenever vehicles attempted to pass. The protest resulted in the suspension of bus service in the area, while several Portland police officers were present primarily to manage traffic.
As the evening progressed, tensions increased, leading to several confrontations between protesters and federal agents. Some demonstrators were hit with pepper balls when ICE agents tried to allow a vehicle access to the building. Additionally, the number of counter-protesters grew, with more than a dozen attending and engaging in verbal clashes with the main group.
The memorandum for the deployment of 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to Portland, part of a broader troop mobilization across the country, stated the purpose was “to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other U.S. Government personnel” executing the administration’s directives.
Democratic leaders at both the city and state levels condemned Trump’s decision to send the National Guard to Portland, arguing that the president’s portrayal of the city was inaccurate and that there was no justification for the presence of federal troops.
