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On Friday night, protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a small Oregon city escalated into violence, leading President Donald Trump to warn that he might deploy additional forces to safeguard federal properties nationwide.
The protests in Eugene, located approximately 110 miles south of Portland, were part of a coordinated effort called the ‘National Shutdown.’ This nationwide initiative aimed to rally support for the demand that ICE withdraw from cities.
In Eugene, demonstrators congregated outside a federal building around midday, brandishing signs that expressed their opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
As night fell, federal officers responded by sporadically using tear gas and other crowd control measures against the protesters.
By 9 PM, the Eugene Police Department declared the gathering a riot, noting that some protesters had entered the federal building, which houses an IRS office among other federal agencies.
Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner said there were not many federal agents to protect the building, necessitating his officers to come to help prevent property damage.
By around 10.15pm, tear gas pellets were deployed in the courtyard outside the building, which largely forced protesters to evacuate the area. Eugene Police did not make any arrests.
On Saturday afternoon, Trump called the protesters in Eugene ‘highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists,’ adding that he has instructed ICE and Border Patrol to be ‘very forceful’ in protecting federal government property.
The anti-ICE protests outside the federal building in Eugene, Oregon, turned into chaos after rallygoers breached the building. Federal agents deployed tear gas throughout the night
The protest started peaceful, with demonstrators holding signs showing their dissatisfaction with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies
Locals gathered around the federal building for hours until agents repelled them with tear gas
Pictured: Man with gas mask pours water on another protester who was presumably affected by the irritants in the air
President Donald Trump responded to the violence in Eugene by instructing ICE and Border Patrol to protect federal buildings across the country
‘Last night in Eugene, Oregon, these criminals broke into a Federal Building, and did great damage, also scaring and harassing the hardworking employees. Local Police did nothing in order to stop it. We will not let that happen anymore!’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.
‘There will be no spitting in the faces of our Officers, there will be no punching or kicking the headlights of our cars, and there will be no rock or brick throwing at our vehicles, or at our Patriot Warriors. If there is, those people will suffer an equal, or more, consequence,’ he added.
At the same time, he also instructed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to not help ‘poorly run Democrat Cities’ experiencing rowdy protests unless ‘they ask us for help’.
‘Therefore, to all complaining Local Governments, Governors, and Mayors, let us know when you are ready, and we will be there – But, before we do so, you must use the word, “PLEASE,”‘ he wrote.
Similar protests unfolded in Los Angeles on Friday. Demonstrators stormed the outside of a federal prison in downtown LA and came face-to-face with police officers, who stood behind shields before unleashing pepper balls and tear gas.
In one dramatic image, a protester struck an officer’s shield with a skateboard. Another showed police firing non-lethal rounds at protesters in an effort to disperse the growing crowd.
The Los Angeles Police Department issued a warning just before 9pm, ordering all protesters near Union Station to disperse within 10 minutes.
Officers then infiltrated the scene and said they were met with bottles and rocks hurled at them, according to the LAPD’s social media account.
Pictured: Similar protests unfolded in Los Angeles on Friday, with demonstrators storming the outside of a federal prison
Pictured: Some demonstrators engaged in physical confrontations with the LAPD after officers issued a tactical alert
LAPD Central Division announced a ‘tactical alert’ after federal authorities were hit with debris, bottles, and other objects.
As the night continued, the LAPD arrested ‘violent agitators’ who were allegedly ‘fighting with officers,’ one of whom was accused of ‘using a sling shot to shoot hard metal objects at officers who were standing on the line.’
Mayor Karen Bass later confirmed that five people were arrested during the dramatic confrontation.
The LAPD told Daily Mail on Saturday afternoon that the arrests increased to eight, six for failure to disperse, one for assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and one for violating curfew.
Bass urged protesters in the city to remain peaceful during a press conference on Friday, adding that violence was ‘exactly what I believe this administration wants to see happen.’
‘I think the protests are extremely important, but it is equally important for these protests to be peaceful, for vandalism not to take place,’ she said.
Protest movements have been ramping up all over the country after federal agents fatally shot Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti this month.
Thousands of people flooded the streets of Minneapolis on Friday chanting, ‘Whose streets? Our streets!’
In New York City, there were also widespread protests starting in Foley Square, where multiple federal buildings are located.