Anti-ICE protesters shut down a Portland City Council meeting Wednesday in what one councilor called a “mini insurrection.”
The protesters were angry about what they described as Portland City Council’s inaction over a land-use agreement that allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to operate out of a facility in the South Waterfront neighborhood.
Portland police arrested four people after a 10-minute recess turned into a 45-minute delay due to a protest that Councilor Loretta Smith described as “not peaceful.”
“Tonight was horrible at Portland City Council,” Smith wrote on Facebook. “It was a mini insurrection.”
She added: “A lady jumped over the testifying table and screamed in my face. I don’t feel safe at council meetings.”
It’s not clear how protesters, including the one Smith accused of jumping the table and screaming at her, accessed the council floor, which is not intended for general public access. The area is blocked by a testimony table, though a small gap could allow a person to turn sideways and slip through.
The disruption came about 20 minutes into Wednesday’s 6 p.m. meeting. Protesters shouted “Revoke the permit,” and “Do your job City Council.”
Council President Jamie Dunphy called for security to remove protesters who had approached the councilors and called for a recess moments later. Videos Smith shared on Facebook showed security forcibly removing a protester from the council floor as others shouted and chanted “ICE out of Portland.”
“Many of you claim to stand with immigrants, and yet you do nothing to protect them,” said Beatriz Ibarra, one of the people who gave public comment at the start of the meeting. “You have the ability to shut down the ICE facility and you do nothing about it.”
Portland police spokesperson Sgt. Kevin Allen said police responded to assist security with removing protesters who refused to leave.
They arrested 47-year-old Susan Anglada-Bartley of Portland; 22-year-old Cole B. Donahugh of Beaverton; 25-year-old Madison N. Del Santer of Beaverton; and 26-year-old Henry J. Roloff of Beaverton.
All face charges of misdemeanor criminal trespass. Donahugh and Anglada-Bartley also face charges of misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
The city issued a land-use agreement violation notice to the landlord of the Portland ICE building in September, alleging that U.S. immigration officials had held some detainees longer than 12 hours or overnight.
The building’s owner asked for an administrative review of the violation findings. Last week, Portland officials upheld the land-use violation. The building owner was given 10 business days to appeal the decision or until March 16 to correct the violations.
The land use agreement has allowed the federal government to operate out of the South Macadam Avenue property since 2011.
Protesters expressed outrage that the council hasn’t done more to protect immigrants and peaceful protesters in Portland who have been met with aggressive tactics by federal agents.
“How many more people are we going to tolerate to be gassed on the street or shot outside hospitals or kidnapped from kindergartens and high schools while you feign impotence?” Elijah Thahir said during public comment.
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