PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A gas mask dangled from Deidra Watts’s backpack as she joined dozens of others outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland, just as she has many nights since July. The protesters toed a blue line painted across the building’s driveway. “GOVERNMENT PROPERTY DO NOT BLOCK,” read its white, stenciled letters. When they lingered too close, what appeared to be pepper balls rained down on them from officers posted on the building’s roof.
No one was injured Wednesday, and some of the crowd began to dissipate by about midnight. While disruptive to nearby residents — a charter school relocated this summer to get away from the crowd-control devices — the nightly demonstrations are a far cry from the unrest that gripped the city following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020.
Despite concerns over noise and safety, many activists argue the protests are necessary to raise awareness about immigration policies. President Trump has called Portland “like living in hell,” suggesting potential federal intervention, which the city’s mayor has strongly opposed.
Crime rates across the country, including in Portland, have seen a decline, yet the imagery and rhetoric surrounding the protests suggest a heightened sense of urgency. Local residents express frustration over disturbances while others feel a sense of solidarity with the causes presented. Community members remain divided on the issue, complicating the narrative surrounding the protests.
No one was injured Wednesday, and some of the crowd began to dissipate by about midnight. While disruptive to nearby residents — a charter school relocated this summer to get away from the crowd-control devices — the nightly demonstrations are a far cry from the unrest that gripped the city following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020.
Despite concerns over noise and safety, many activists argue the protests are necessary to raise awareness about immigration policies. President Trump has called Portland “like living in hell,” suggesting potential federal intervention, which the city’s mayor has strongly opposed.
Crime rates across the country, including in Portland, have seen a decline, yet the imagery and rhetoric surrounding the protests suggest a heightened sense of urgency. Local residents express frustration over disturbances while others feel a sense of solidarity with the causes presented. Community members remain divided on the issue, complicating the narrative surrounding the protests.
