Portland police order ICE protesters’ tents cleared, warn of stepped-up enforcement to come

Portland police officers shocked entrenched protesters outside the city’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building Saturday night by ordering the immediate removal of tents and supplies that had fully blocked sidewalks.

The chaotic scene took place starting at 8:30 p.m. amid pouring rain, as more than 30 officers arrived and ordered a path be cleared along the sidewalk.

Officers told protesters who accused them of aiding federal immigration officials they were merely enforcing city laws. Police also warned they will soon begin enforcing low-level violations such as blocking sidewalks, consuming alcohol or drugs in public, jaywalking and the like in the coming days.

The Portland Police Bureau has been criticized for months for not doing enough to ensure livability for nearby residents amid the protests.

But Police Bureau spokesperson Sgt. Kevin Allen said Saturday’s intervention didn’t represent a major shift in posture.

“At the direction of the Crowd Management Incident Commander, officers requested the group ensure access to the sidewalk and advised them of the legal consequences if they did not,” he wrote in an email. “The City of Portland has abated this encampment several times over the past few months. This was simply an effort to maintain compliance.”

Officers told protesters they were issuing warnings Saturday but would subsequently start enforcing city code.

“What we haven’t been enforcing is, like, the drinking in public, standing in the middle of the street, the blocking vehicles, just kind of stuff like that,” one officer told a protester across from the ICE building. “If you can stand on this sidewalk and peacefully protest, that’s great. If you want to be over here with an open can, blocking traffic, doing all this stuff, then we’re going to start enforcing those things.”

Allen added that police officers monitoring the protests had been issuing warnings to people consuming open containers of alcoholic beverages for more than a week.

Some protesters downplayed how much the tent clearing would deter the effectiveness of their protests.

“It’s not stopping us from protesting,” said Pamela Hemphill, a former supporter of President Donald Trump jailed for participating in the 2021 U.S. Capitol Riot. She has since become a regular at the Portland protests criticizing Trump’s policies. “You can have your sidewalk.”

The scene remained chaotic for more than an hour, punctuated by thunder and lightning. As protesters worked to clear items from the encampment, a jeering crowd of counterprotesters gathered around them streaming the proceedings live, and some hurled invective at the Portland police officers standing watch.

The city has treated the encampment near the ICE facility much as it typically treats homeless camps, posting written warnings prior to its occasional removal, which has been handled by the same private contractor that clears homeless encampments. After the several previous times the protesters’ encampment has been cleared – most recently Oct. 23 – it’s returned within days.

Police typically assist in removing camps only when weapons are known to be present or when there is fear of physical violence.

On Saturday, police stood watch as protesters removed their materials. Allen, the police spokesperson, said no property had been confiscated by officers.

After the surprising tent removals, protesters regrouped across the street to inventory the items they had moved – which included a gas grill, medical supplies, masks and other equipment.

“We will rebuild this!” some chanted on repeat.

Seth Todd, who said he has been protesting near the ICE building since early June – usually in what has become his trademark inflatable frog costume – said he arrived Saturday to see police near the camp. He crossed the street, but not at a crosswalk, and said a police officer warned he would be arrested the next time.

“I think that it’s pretty lame that they’re going to enforce something as small as jaywalking when they could be spending their time focusing on actual crimes,” Todd said.

He said he understood the concerns of people who live near the building, including residents of a large nonprofit-operated apartment building across the street from where the encampment stood.

“I get their frustration, I genuinely do,” he said. But I really think it’s more important that we stick up for our community members.“

Portland police reported three arrests Saturday on allegations of misdemeanor crimes. Two men were arrested on suspicion of second-degree disorderly conduct after police said they continued to walk in the street after being told to return to a sidewalk. Later, police said officers saw one person push another. The alleged aggressor was arrested on suspicion of harassment.