February 20, 2021 Protest – Abolish ICE PDX

Timeline

A daytime demonstration in front of the ICE facility in South Portland begins at 4 pm.

A large group of federal officers in full riot gear suddenly emerge from the ICE facility just after 6 pm.

Officers go back into the ICE building after moving the trash can on fire behind the gates of the facility.

The demonstration comes to an end by around 7 pm.

Media Present

Police

Agencies Present

Department of Homeland Security – Federal Protective Service

Munitions

None

February 9, 2021 Protest – Shutdown DAPL

Summary

Earlier today, a group of Standing Rock Youth held a 93 mile run, at the end of which they demanded that President Biden shutdown the Dakota Access Pipeline. In solidarity with this protest, Portland’s “Indigenous Bloc” organized a march beginning at Holladay Park. Around 50 protesters began marching from the park around 10:10 pm and arrived at their destination, the local headquarters of the Army Corps of Engineers, around 11 pm. During the march protesters chanted, danced, and dropped a banner on a freeway overpass. Once at the Army Corps building, indigenous community members gave speeches until the end of the demonstration just after midnight.

However, as protesters were leaving the area, a small group gets detained by federal Homeland Security officers. Altogether 4 protesters are detained, one of which is removed from the other three and moved to a police van. Despite none of the protesters being informed of the reason for their detainment, they are held for upwards of half an hour before suddenly being let go without any citations or charges. By 1:30 am, all protesters are finally able to get out of the area and the night came to an end.

Timeline

A demonstration demanding President Biden to shutdown the Dakota Access Pipeline begins at Holladay Park.

The march begins just before 10:10 pm.

Protesters drop a banner on an overpass.

Just after 11:30 pm Indigenous community members begin giving speeches.

A Homeland Security police car is spotted in the area.

With speeches done, the demonstration comes to an end just after midnight.

As protesters are leaving the area, several are detained by Homeland Security officers without being given a reason.

In the footage below, a Homeland Security officer without a mask holds his jacket over his face. This is not know to be effective and does not replace wearing a mask.

All four detained protesters are released by 1:20 am.

The night is finally able to officially come to an end by 1:25 am.

Media Present

Police Agencies Present

Department of Homeland Security – Federal Protective Service

February 5, 2021 Protest – Chinga La Migra

Summary

After a community healing event at Irving Park earlier in the evening, protesters made their way straight to the ICE facility, without making their usual rendezvous at Elizabeth Caruthers Park first, for a demonstration. The night remained relatively quiet, with federal officers in riot gear only coming out once, just after 11 pm, to let a car out of the facility and fire munitions at protesters. Without frequent interference from federal officers, who mostly remained within the facility, protesters spent the night drumming and chanting. Around 11:20 pm they sang Happy Birthday to Trayvon Martin, who would have turned 26 years old today. By about 1 am, almost all of the protesters had left the area and the night came to an end.

Timeline

A demonstration in front of the ICE facility begins at 10 pm.

Federal officers make their first announcement of the night to protesters at 11 pm.

Officers then emerge from the facility.

At 11:12 pm officers declare the gathering an unlawful assembly.

Officers fire munitions at protesters as they retreat back behind the gate of the facility.

Protesters sing Happy Birthday to Trayvon Martin. Rest in Power Trayvon.

Despite the unlawful assembly declaration, federal officers have not emerged from the facility again.

A car drives aggressively down the street on which protesters are standing. Reports indicate no one was injured.

Media Present

Police

Agencies Present

Department of Homeland Security – Federal Protective Service

Munitions

  • mace
  • pepper balls

January 30, 2021 Protest – Abolish ICE

Summary

Protesters had a relatively quiet night in front of the ICE facility tonight. Most of the sound in the area came from the drums that protesters kept going throughout the few hours they were there, which drew the ire of one neighborhood resident who took to yelling at protesters from their balcony across the intersection from the ICE facility. According to on-the-ground-estimates, there were around 70 protesters in attendance of this event.

Besides the appearance of a right-wing live-streamer and the previously mentioned irate neighbor, the demonstration was relatively calm until an explosion was heard in the area, reportedly freezing the crowd. Journalists that went to inspect the area found a soy sauce bottle, smelling heavily of something burnt, and other broken bottle pieces where the munition had been thrown, which was also in the yard of The Cottonwood School. After there was no follow up to this incident protesters went back to drumming and chanting in front of ICE.

The only officers seen all night included one seen inside the facility shining a bright flashlight at protesters from a third story window, and occasionally setting it to strobe, and one who was seen moving behind the front door towards the end of the night but never came out. Without police interference and, for once, with the vigil they built still in tact, protesters ended the demonstration around 12:30 am.

Timeline

A demonstration in front of ICE begins at Elizabeth Caruthers Park nearby at 9 pm.

Around 9:15 pm federal officers begin making an announcement to just-arriving protesters.

A right-wing livestreamer is present at the protest, and is promptly removed by members of the group.

FLASH WARNING: The first 5 seconds of the footage below contains a small rapidly flashing light. The light is no longer in frame after the first 5 seconds.

A closer look at the vigil in front of the ICE facility.

Just after 9:30 pm a munition is deployed in the area, the origin of which is unknown.

Although the footage is not included here, a neighborhood resident has been engaged in a verbal altercation with protesters while standing on their balcony. This is the verbal altercation referred to below:

FLASH WARNING: The footage below contains a rapidly flashing light for the duration of the video.
The seemingly lone officer in the window of the ICE facility sets their flashlight to strobe at protesters.

Federal officers make a third announcement to protesters, but still no police force has appeared on the street.

There appears to be movement behind the boarded-up door of the facility.

With no interference from police, the demonstration ends by 12:30 am.

Media Present

Police

Agencies Present

Homeland Security – Federal Protective Services

Munitions

None

January 27, 2021 Protest – Holocaust Remembrance Day Memorial

Summary

Community members gathered tonight at a memorial for Holocaust Remembrance Day across the street from the ICE facility. The demonstration was relatively quiet at first, with a mix of people coming to pay their respects at the memorial and protesters closer to the ICE facility chanting in front of the driveway. After a dumpster with its contents on fire is wheeled into the driveway of the building, federal officers emerged to push protesters away. Rather than their usual move of immediately firing tear gas however, federal forces deployed pepper balls and sustained a long standoff with protesters in the street. The dumpster fire was largely ignored until a firetruck eventually came and the fire was put out.

Shortly after going back inside the facility, an unlawful assembly was declared by Homeland Security officers, and federal forces once again emerged to push protesters away from the building. This time however, officers pushed protesters further out, deploying more pepper balls and bull rushing the group. The demonstration ended shortly after, by around 12:30 am.

Timeline

A memorial for Holocaust Remembrance Day is set up across from the ICE facility in South Portland, and community members gather to pay respects and protest ICE.

Federal officers make an announcement to protesters just after 10 pm, telling the group to stay off federal property.

Around 10:30 pm federal officers emerge from the facility and standoff with protesters.

A Portland Police riot van arrives at the ICE facility with reinforcements at 11:04 pm.

At about 11:15 pm a firetruck arrives to put out the dumpster fire that had been rolled into the driveway of the facility.

At about 11:25 pm federal officers declare the gathering an unlawful assembly.

After retreating back into the facility about 10 minutes ago, federal officers and Portland Police have returned to the street to once again standoff with protesters.

Officers begin pushing protesters away from the ICE facility.

By 12:20 am the demonstration has come to an end.

Media Present

Police

Agencies Present

  • Department of Homeland Security – Federal Protective Services
  • Portland Police Bureau

Munitions

pepper balls

News for the week of January 25

General

AP News

AP Analysis: Racial disparity seen in US vaccination drive

Courthouse News Service

Portland Mayor Pepper Sprays Lawyer Who Got Too Close

Jacobin

To See the Danger of a Domestic “War on Terror,” Look No Further Than This Florida Case

KOIN

School next to ICE calls for end to chemical weapons use

Medium – Alissa Azar

Jungle Gyms and Grenades: Chemical Warfare in Portland and the Lasting Impacts at a Nearby School

NPR

Fatal Police Shootings Of Unarmed Black People Reveal Troubling Patterns

OPB

The Oregonian

PDX Monthly

LISTEN: Police Violence, Civil Rights, and Black and Latinx Movements

Willamette Week

Far Right Extremism

AP News

KOIN

Legacy Salmon Creek in lockdown overnight

The New York Times

OPB

The Oregonian

Toronto City News

House of Commons passes motion to designate Proud Boys a terrorist entity

USA Today

Capitol riot inquiry grows to 400 suspects; feds expect to bring sedition charges ‘very soon’

Vice News

Wall Street Journal

Video Investigation: Proud Boys Were Key Instigators in Capitol Riot

Houselessness

The Oregonian

Motels meant to house wildfire victims, chronically homeless won’t open until February at earliest

ICE

The Oregonian

The Washington Post

Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas blocks Biden’s deportation ‘pause’

Incarceration

AP News

Biden orders Justice Dept. to end use of private prisons

CNBC

Biden orders DOJ to end private prison contracts as part of racial equity push

OPB

Northwest prosecutors join in call to end federal executions

The Oregonian

‘It’s just a matter of time’: Inmates detail horrid conditions amid COVID spike in Oregon prisons

Perilous Chronicle

“A Dumping Ground of COVID Cases”: Blackouts, Protests, and Outbreaks at Oregon’s Two Rivers Prison

Willamette Week

Oregon Prisoners Could Get the Right to Vote While Incarcerated Under New Senate Bill

Law Enforcement

The Appeal

Austin May Use Money Cut From Police Budget to Buy Permanent Supportive Housing

Daily KOS

Biden executive orders on racial equity to include renewed ban on military equipment to local police

KOIN

The Nation

The Madcap Mysteries of Homeland Security

The New Republic

How Do You Deradicalize a Cop?

OPB

The Oregonian

Portland Mercury

Oregon Legislature Eyes More Police Reform Bills This Session

January 24, 2021 Protest – Fuck ICE

Timeline

Another demonstration and vigil at ICE begins at Elizabeth Caruthers Park, then marches to the facility.

A light turns on in the otherwise dark ICE facility and an officers are seen inside.

The demonstration ends by 11:30 pm with no police escalation.

Media Present

January 23, 2021 Protest – Abolish ICE

Summary

Protesters gathered at Elizabeth Caruthers Park tonight ahead of a march and vigil for child victims of ICE. Federal officers began making announcements early, before the bulk of the group arrived from the park, at protesters who were across from ICE setting up the vigil. Journalists arriving with the marching protesters noticed snipers once again on the roof of the ICE facility, and at least two journalists had a rooftop rifle pointed at them when they stopped to take pictures of the officers.

As protesters stood outside the facility and chanted, drummed, and danced, federal officers came out in multiple waves, initially making a few targeted arrested then reentering the facility. After the first few times officers emerged from the building, they began firing impact munitions and tear gas at protesters. Some tear gas canisters and spent munitions even ended up at The Cottonwood School next door, which has created a concern within the community that children will be exposed to the harmful effects of tear gas in their schoolyard. After hours of munitions being deployed on protesters and another vigil once again wrecked by federal forces, the demonstration ended by 1 am, while volunteers stayed behind and collected munitions for the next few hours.

Timeline

A demonstration in front of the ICE facility tonight begins at Elizabeth Caruthers Park.

Before the rest of the march leaves the park, a small group of protesters get to the ICE facility ahead of time to set candles for a vigil. Federal officers can already be heard making announcements to the small group.

Around 9:15 pm the march arrives at the ICE facility.

Spotted on top of the roof of the ICE facility:

Federal officers exit the building around 9:35 pm.

A protester has been arrested by federal officers.

Just before 9:40 pm Homeland Security declares the gathering an unlawful assembly.

Just after 9:50 pm an ambulance is seen entering the ICE facility.

DHS officers come out and push protesters away from the facility.

As of 10:40 pm there are still around 100 protesters outside ICE.

Officers come out and make a targeted arrest.

Officers reemerge and deploy munitions at protesters, pushing the group away from the ICE facility.

Protesters push back towards the ICE facility.

Federal officers release another round of munitions on protesters.

The demonstration ends after extensive gas and munitions use by federal officers.

Media Present

Police

Agencies Present

  • Border Patrol Tactical Unit 
  • Department of Homeland Security – Federal Protective Services

Munitions

  • flash bangs
  • mace
  • pepper balls
  • rubber bullets
  • tear gas

January 20, 2021 Protest – Irving Park

Timeline

A protest set to start at Irving Park is suddenly delayed when a car rolls over next to the park.

At around 6:20 pm the demonstration begins despite the police presence in the area due to the car accident.

The march returns to its starting point and comes to an end just before 8 pm.

Media Present

January 21, 2021 Protest – Abolish ICE

Timeline

A small demonstration in front of the ICE facility, also the location of last night’s protest, begins around 9 pm.

Federal officers come out of the facility around 9:30 pm.

A few protesters are arrested around 9:50 pm, including an individual in a wheelchair.

The journalist above who has been posting updates at ICE, Cozca, has reportedly been arrested by federal officers.

With the protest long over, at 3:22 am Cozca announces on social media that she is home safe.

Media Present

Police

Agencies Present

Department of Homeland Security – Federal Protective Service