Emergency flights diverted from Portland hospital amid ‘laser party’ threats at ICE facility: report

A call to shine laser lights into the sky in an effort to disrupt federal helicopters flying over South Portland has prompted serious safety concerns and forced a key trauma hospital to reroute air ambulances.

The online flyer, posted on the homepage of Rose City Counter-Info, a self-described “anarchist counter-info platform in so-called Portland, Oregon,” encourages participants to take part in a “laser tag” event aimed at federal aircraft. 

The post urges individuals to mask up, coordinate with others, and take steps to avoid identification – including cleaning laser pointers with alcohol, wearing gloves, and removing potential DNA traces before disposal.

As a result of the planned activity, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) reported that multiple air ambulance providers declined to land at the hospital’s rooftop helipad on Saturday night, according to KGW.

“Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft is a federal crime. This is incredibly dangerous for the aircraft personnel and for the public’s safety,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a previous statement to Fox News Digital. “Antifa domestic terrorists WILL NOT overrun our cities. We will bust their networks and bring every one of them to justice.”

Federal officials cited a recent incident as evidence of the risks such actions pose. On September 30, DHS reported that four Mexican nationals living in the U.S. illegally were arrested in Portland after allegedly shining a laser at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) helicopter, endangering both the crew and people below.

Portland has remained a focal point for demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement, with protests near the ICE facility continuing for several weeks. In some instances, demonstrators have displayed provocative props such as a guillotine to symbolize opposition to federal actions.

Earlier this week, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem visited the ICE facility in Portland, where she prayed with officers dealing with the ongoing unrest.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, however, disputed characterizations of widespread disorder. “There is no insurrection,” Kotek said, expressing confidence that “local law enforcement will meet the moment.” She added that during her meeting with Noem, she reiterated Oregon’s expectation that DHS and ICE operations comply with state law.

Kotek joins several other Democratic governors who have pushed back against the Trump administration’s expanded federal enforcement efforts.

Fox News Digital has reached out to OHSU for comment. 

Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.