PORTLAND, Ore. — Demonstrations outside Portland’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility continued late Saturday night, leading to two arrests and renewed clashes between protesters and federal agents, according to the Portland Police Bureau (PPB).
The protests, which have persisted since early summer, took place near South Bancroft Street and South Bond Avenue in the city’s South Waterfront district. Dozens of demonstrators gathered through the evening, many wearing costumes and waving signs, while others played music and danced in what witnesses described as a “party-like” atmosphere.
However, tensions briefly escalated when reports surfaced of an assault and a later response by federal law enforcement.
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Assault Leads to Two Arrests
Police said that shortly after 9 p.m., officers received a call reporting that a man had been assaulted near the protest site. The victim, a 33-year-old man from Beaverton, was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators quickly identified a suspect — Harold Alston Smith, 32, of Portland — who was taken into custody and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on a charge of fourth-degree assault.
In an unusual twist, officials later determined that the hospitalized victim was also a suspect in a separate assault related to the same incident. While recovering at the hospital, the man was criminally cited for fourth-degree assault, which carries the same legal requirement to appear in court as an in-person arrest.
Authorities have not released additional details about what sparked the altercation, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Federal Agents Deploy Pepper Spray
As night fell, the crowd outside the ICE building grew louder, with demonstrators chanting and waving banners critical of federal immigration policy. By 10:15 p.m., federal officers guarding the facility deployed pepper spray to disperse parts of the crowd. Witnesses reported brief moments of confusion as protesters backed away from the facility’s main gate.
No serious injuries were reported from the use of pepper spray, and no additional arrests were made during the dispersal.
Earlier in the evening, a familiar Portland figure — the Unipiper, a local performer known for riding a unicycle while playing bagpipes — made an appearance, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Airspace Concerns Over OHSU
In a related development, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) temporarily suspended medical helicopter landings at its nearby facility after reports that protesters may have been shining lasers toward Customs and Border Protection (CBP) aircraft supporting ICE operations.
OHSU cited safety concerns for flight crews but emphasized that patient care was not disrupted. However, KOIN 6 News could not independently verify reports of lasers being directed at helicopters as of Sunday morning.
Ongoing Protest Activity
Saturday’s arrests bring the total number of arrests tied to South Waterfront protest activity to 49 since early June, according to the Portland Police Bureau. Federal authorities reported an additional five federal citations in the last 24 hours, bringing the overall total to 189 arrests and citations since the demonstrations began.
Police officials say they continue to monitor nightly protests and will pursue charges for criminal acts, even if arrests are not made immediately on the scene.
Despite the sporadic confrontations, much of Saturday’s demonstration remained peaceful, with many participants describing their presence as a stand against federal immigration enforcement and a call for greater accountability at the ICE facility.
The Portland Police Bureau, in coordination with federal and local partners, said it would maintain its presence in the South Waterfront area to ensure public safety as the protests continue into the fall.
