A Portland musician known for performing with protest marching bands was detained by federal agents Sunday evening while playing her clarinet outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in South Portland — an arrest that has drawn outrage and confusion from supporters and civil rights advocates.
According to her husband, who spoke with KOIN 6 News but asked that neither of their names be published for safety reasons, the woman was performing the theme from Ghostbusters with a local protest band when federal officers suddenly rushed into the crowd.
“It was a beautiful, party-like atmosphere,” her husband said. “Everybody’s really excited. Then the band hits into Ghostbusters, and that’s when ICE start storming in. Why are they targeting a clarinet player? She was standing on the sidewalk, following instructions.”
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Music Turns to Chaos
The clarinetist had been playing with members of the Unpresidented Brass Band, a Portland-based activist ensemble known for turning political demonstrations into musical parades. Video from the protest shows a lively scene filled with brass instruments, colorful costumes, and chants calling for the abolition of ICE.
Moments later, the tone shifts. The footage captures federal agents pushing into the group as people scatter. The clarinetist is seen face down in the mud, her instrument lying beside her.
Witnesses say she was tackled without warning. Protesters shouted in disbelief as she was handcuffed and taken into custody.
Her husband said he received a call around 2 a.m. Monday, informing him that she was being held in Clark County Jail — across the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington.
“We’re not seeing her. We don’t know when we’re going to see her again,” he told KOIN. “Our 3-year-old doesn’t understand why Mommy isn’t home.”
Arrest Raises Jurisdiction Questions
The woman’s detention has sparked questions about why someone arrested in Portland is being held across state lines in Washington and why she appears to be held without bail or formal charges.
KOIN reached out to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office for clarification but did not receive a response. The agency’s automated reply stated that communications were delayed due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.
As of late Monday night, the woman remained listed in the Clark County Jail roster, though details of her case and potential charges had not been made public.
A Weekend of Whimsical Protest
The clarinetist’s arrest came during a weekend of highly visible — and unusually whimsical — demonstrations at Portland’s ICE facility. On Sunday afternoon, protesters arrived dressed in costumes, some riding bikes as part of an impromptu “Naked Bike Ride” that passed by the building.
Brass musicians and dancers performed in what many described as a “joyful resistance” to federal immigration policies.
Armed federal agents were seen stationed on the roof of the ICE facility, monitoring the crowd as music and chants echoed through the South Waterfront area.
The festive protest eventually drew a large federal response, resulting in at least three arrests, including the clarinetist.
Fellow Musicians Rally for Her Release
By Monday night, members of the Unpresidented Brass Band gathered outside Clark County Jail in a separate protest, playing music in solidarity and demanding her release.
They described her as a longtime community musician and activist who often volunteers her time to perform at fundraisers and social justice rallies.
“She brings music to the movement,” said one bandmate during the vigil. “It’s absurd that someone holding a clarinet could be treated like a threat.”
Local Leaders React
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley expressed support for the creative, nonviolent nature of Portland’s recent ICE protests, praising participants for bringing “joy and whimsy” to civic activism. While he did not comment specifically on the clarinetist’s arrest, Merkley said the protests exemplify Portland’s “spirit of compassion and courage.”
Civil rights organizations, including the ACLU of Oregon, have begun reviewing the case. A spokesperson said they were “concerned about the apparent lack of charges and the potential overreach of federal authority.”
Husband: “This Is Not the Portland I Know”
For the clarinetist’s family, the situation remains bewildering.
“I love my city,” her husband said. “That afternoon showed off the best of Portland — people coming together, dancing, celebrating freedom. I just hope this doesn’t dampen that spirit.”
As of Tuesday morning, federal authorities had not released details on why the musician was detained or when she might be freed.
For now, her husband and bandmates wait outside the jail — clarinets and trumpets in hand — ready to play her home.
