‘We Don’t Light Fires’: Organizers Emphasize Peace Ahead of Portland’s ‘No Kings’ Protest

Tyler Francke

Canby News

‘We Don’t Light Fires’: Organizers Emphasize Peace Ahead of Portland’s ‘No Kings’ Protest

PORTLAND, Ore. — As anticipation builds for this weekend’s nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations, Portland organizers are doubling down on their message of peace. Marches and rallies are planned across the U.S. on Saturday, and the city once again finds itself at the heart of the movement.

Peaceful Marches Across Portland

According to Indivisible Oregon, the Waterfront in downtown Portland will serve as the final gathering point for three separate marches converging from across the city. Organizers expect turnout similar to the large crowds seen during June’s “No Kings” rally, which drew thousands of participants.

The renewed wave of activism comes amid heightened tension outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in South Portland, where ongoing protests continue to draw national attention. The looming threat of a National Guard deployment, ordered by the Trump administration but stalled by legal challenges, has only intensified the political atmosphere.

Despite that tension, organizers insist that Saturday’s events will remain peaceful and disciplined.

‘We Don’t Throw Rocks. We Don’t Light Fires.’

Marcia Schneider, a lead organizer with Indivisible Oregon, said her team has spent weeks preparing volunteers for every possible scenario to keep participants safe.

“Not only do we commit, but we do a lot of training,” Schneider explained. “We have large groups of volunteers doing all kinds of safety work along the route so that we can make this as safe an event as possible.”

Schneider said every participant has been reminded of the group’s guiding principles — to stay calm, avoid confrontation, and protect one another.

“We don’t throw rocks. We don’t light fires. We don’t do those things,” she emphasized. “If other people, not part of our organization, decide to do those kinds of things, we are not affiliated with it. We do not condone it or support it, and we will separate ourselves from that action.”

Calls for Restraint From State Leaders

Oregon lawmakers have echoed those calls for restraint. Senator Jeff Merkley urged residents not to “take the bait” from provocations that could justify further federal intervention.

“In every possible way, we have a president who thinks he’s a king who is violating the law,” Merkley said. “The executive branch is scraping and shredding our Constitution, and the people are standing up against it. They’re going to be expressing that this Saturday — peacefully.”

Merkley’s comments align with the broader theme of the “No Kings” movement, which seeks to push back against what organizers describe as executive overreach and the erosion of democratic norms.

Protesters Prepare to Make Their Voices Heard

At the ICE facility, protesters told local reporters they are determined to deliver a clear message — one of vocal opposition, but not aggression.

“I want to show ICE itself and the Trump Administration that not only are we here, we’re present, we’re vocal, and we oppose them,” said protester Josiah Davis. “But we are not going to do so in an aggressive way. I’m not going to act on any of these agents. I want to speak with them — I want them to tell me why they’re doing what they’re doing.”

Many participants say the goal of Saturday’s marches is to reaffirm that dissent in Portland can be both powerful and peaceful.

The Broader Movement

The “No Kings” campaign has spread rapidly across the nation, fueled by frustration with federal actions in Democratic-led cities and by a shared belief that “America has no kings — the power belongs to the people.”

As organizers finalize logistics and volunteers rehearse de-escalation techniques, Portland prepares once again to showcase its signature blend of activism and civic pride — a protest rooted not in chaos, but in conviction.

“Peace is our strategy,” Schneider said. “We want our voices to be heard, not our anger. That’s how we show the world that the people — not kings — lead this country.”

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