Portland metro assembles for 'No Kings' rallies, joining protests across the US
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Tens of thousands have gathered in downtown Portland for a "No Kings" rally on Saturday to protest the Trump administration ahead of a Washington military parade marking the Army’s 250th anniversary as well as the president’s birthday.
More gatherings are also planned at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, along with Clackamas, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Vancouver, Washington and in towns along the Oregon Coast. Event organizers previously planned a “Hands Off!” event on April 5 that saw a crowd of at least 12,000 people in downtown Portland.
As of 2:45 p.m. Saturday, Portland police said both the Hawthorne and Morrison Bridges are closed to vehicle traffic due to the size of the crowd, which first assembled at Waterfront Park.
The demonstrations come on the heels of protests that flared up across the country over federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week, as well as Trump ordering the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire.
During some of the nighttime demonstrations at the Portland ICE facility this week, there were physical confrontations between some protesters and federal agents. Additionally, federal agents deployed pepper balls and protesters allegedly engaged in vandalism, tried to start fires, and committed other crimes cited by the Portland Police Bureau. Portland police made 10 arrests on Thursday night and three arrests on Wednesday night.
The tone of these protests after dark contrasted with the daytime activity at the ICE facility, which remained largely peaceful throughout the week.
Additionally, two Newberg vineyard workers were arrested by ICE on Thursday and earlier this month, ICE made four different arrests outside a Portland Immigration Courthouse. Two of those detainees were later released from ICE custody after lawyers with the Innovation Law Lab filed a habeas corpus petition to challenge the arrests.
Given these arrests, there continues to be a steady presence of protesters outside the Portland ICE facility on South Macadam Avenue, with people camping overnight on multiple days.
All of this has prompted Portland city and Multnomah County leaders to reinforce their promise to uphold the city’s sanctuary status and the right to protest ahead of Saturday's demonstrations.
Portland City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney, who marched in the 2020 protests and comes from a background in advocacy, emphasized the importance of unity in the ongoing protests.
“To our immigrant communities, I see your fear, I share your anger, I stand with you and I know we must let your voices lead the actions that we take as whole community to keep everyone safe,” she said. “To all Portlanders, it is our responsibility to unite for the safety and well-being of our immigrant neighbors. And our collective voice is stronger when we all stand together and we create spaces where everybody can come and be a part of our actions.”
Meanwhile, the Multnomah County District Attorney cautioned anyone against “hijacking” the peaceful demonstrations by committing vandalism, acts of violence or arson, noting how the “narrative got out of control” during the 2020 protests.
“I want our community’s voice to be heard loud and clear. One that is important, but is in no way associated with those particularly bad actors,” DA Nathan Vasquez stressed. “There’s no free pass under this administration. If you commit a crime, you will be prosecuted.”
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