Portland stands against Trump’s threat to deploy troops to city

Portland, OR – On September 28, hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Portland ICE facility to stand against Trump’s deployment of federal troops to Portland. The protest was called by Portland Contra Las Deportaciones (PDXCD) in collaboration with other groups such as Portland for Palestine, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and PDX ICE Watch.

The protest came a day after city officials convened a press conference at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Northeast Portland to reject the federal occupation, but they also called for a hands-off approach in resisting.

“We are not going to take the bait,” said U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley during the press conference, “This is the ‘don’t take the bait’ press conference. Our responsibility is to yes, express our views, yes protest. But best done at a distance from these federal troops.”

Organizers with Portland Contra Las Deportaciones saw things differently.

“Now is not the time to lay low or avoid confrontation with the federal government,” said Omar Gil, “when Trump is sending troops into our city we have a responsibility to respond forcefully like we’ve seen Chicago do. That is the only way to get him to back down.”

Rather than protesting at a distance, the ICE facility was chosen as the location of the protest as it has been a launch pad for federal agents over the last few months, and a large number of increased agents descended upon the building at the time of Trump’s announcement.

In a seemingly retaliatory move, Trump announced the deployment of federal troops to protect the ICE facility a week after the city of Portland issued a land use violation to the owner of the building, after a campaign fought for by community groups like PDXCD to shut down the facility.

DHS and ICE agents came out in riot gear during the protest to push back protesters in order to allow cars to enter and leave the facility, but protesters stood their ground and blocked vehicles from entering. DHS and ICE responded with force, shoving and pepper spraying the crowd. At one point a civilian tried to drive a car through the protest but was stopped by protesters and forced to turn around.

The protest ended with a call to continue to show up, and to keep working to shut down the ICE facility.

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