Many on Friday continued to stress that Nation Guard troops are not needed, with much of the clashes often incited by the federal agents or agitators.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Throughout the week, including Friday night, people at Southwest Portland’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility — whether protesting or observing from across the street — shared a similar message: Any kind of troop deployment for this kind of demonstration doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Black Hawk helicopters continued to circle the skies, as a small number of protesters waved signs. That morning, the first hearing over Oregon’s lawsuit challenging the federal deployment of the state’s National Guard to Portland concluded with no immediate decision on the state’s request for a temporary restraining order to block the deployment while the court case plays out.

Thus far, two people have been arrested by Portland police for blocking traffic while standing in the street along South Bancroft Street.

But others, like Norman Sowards, simply came down to show their support. 

“I’m down here because I don’t feel it’s safe to put the National Guard troops on Oregon streets or American streets at all,” Sowards said. 

“I want to come out here and support and show that there should be peace in the world,” added Jakob, who is 11 years old. 

The protest, which has garnered national attention, remains confined to the ICE facility grounds.

“I think it’s pointless. There’s maybe 100 people out here every night just talking and yelling sometimes, listening to music, eating, having a good time. That’s how it’s been for 100 days now,” a person told KGW. 


Those 100 people includes not just demonstrators, but journalists, security personnel, Portland Police Bureau liaison officers, and a handful of right-wing influencers — often from out of town. 

“They do deserve to have a voice to be down here, and they do have a right to film and put their things out there. And I do agree with what they’re doing, but I don’t agree with how they’re doing it,” said Leilani Payne. 

One of those influencers, Nick Sortor, was arrested and charged by PPB for disorderly conduct, along with two other people after fights broke out late Thursday night. Sortor’s arrest elicited outrage from the White House, which called Sortor a “journalist” and said the Department of Justice will be launching a “full investigation” into his arrest and into PPB itself. Sortor was released from jail Friday morning ahead of his arraignment on Monday. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that Sortor had been ambushed by antifa members and was defending himself, while Sortor claimed that PPB is controlled by antifa. 

Leavitt also said Trump directed his team to review potential cuts to federal aid for Portland. In the meantime, there will be an “additional surge” of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and ICE resources in Portland. 

“The amount of dissidence that’s being expressed down there, not even directed at immigration or at the facility, but the amount of dissidence being expressed towards one another is at a fevered pitch. And that’s where we need to start bringing the temperature down,” said PPB Chief Bob Day on Thursday. 

At times, conflict escalates between armed agents and protesters. Video and photos from Thursday night captured the moment Leilani Payne was pepper-sprayed in the eyes. 


“I weigh 95 pounds, and these are four guys on me,” she told KGW. “So, I put my hands up and I said, ‘I’m just standing here exactly where you asked me to.’ And then he maced me in the face for three seconds straight without warning.”

RELATED: 86-year-old woman who lives near Portland ICE facility says she was pepper sprayed by feds

And on Friday, for an unclear reason, KGW witnessed federal agents tackling a protester to the ground.

“If you do come out here, just be safe, okay? We don’t… you don’t want to come out here and have to get taken away,” Jakob urged.Â