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In Portland, tensions flared amid a nationwide ‘No Kings Day’ protest against President Trump, leading to the use of tear gas outside a federal immigration facility.
What began as a peaceful demonstration with thousands marching through the streets of Oregon’s largest city took a turn as protesters clashed with law enforcement near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building.
Amidst the chaos, videos captured the moment officers deployed tear gas and other crowd-control munitions. This action followed multiple warnings for demonstrators to vacate the area.
In response, some protesters equipped with gas masks and goggles confronted the police, hurling verbal taunts while smoke filled the industrial neighborhood.
According to the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), the unrest led to the detention of three individuals after an alleged assault related to the protest. One person has been arrested and taken into custody, while the other two remain under investigation.
Officials released a photo showing a handcuffed suspect beside a patrol car, but have not yet identified the individual.
An Incident Management Team led by a Crowd Management Incident Commander was activated as tensions escalated. Police used sound trucks to issue warnings.
‘If you stay in the street, you may be arrested or cited for applicable laws,’ one announcement blared.
Law enforcement detains a person outside an ICE facility with tear gas, during a No Kings protest against President Donald Trump’s policies, in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday
A demonstrator throws a tear gas canister back at ICE facility in Portland, Oregon on Saturday
A demonstrator holds a sign as protesters march during the ‘No Kings’ protestÂ
‘Failure to comply with officer orders may subject you to crowd control measures, including impact munitions or other physical force,’ warned another.
The confrontation capped hours of largely peaceful protest –Â one of more than 2,500 rallies planned across the country.Â
Marchers waved banners reading ‘No Thrones, No Crowns, No Kings’.
In Portland, the group converged on Waterfront Park around midmorning before demonstrators began moving toward federal property around midday. That’s where skirmishes with law enforcement broke out.Â
Organizers with the No Kings Coalition had earlier urged participants to remain calm, emphasizing their commitment to ‘de-escalation and safety.’
Despite those assurances, Portland’s rally mirrored scenes from other major cities where marches turned volatile amid heightened tension between protesters and police.Â
The ‘No Kings Day’ movement, the second nationwide protest of the year, drew hundreds of thousands across American cities including Chicago, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Atlanta.Â
The campaign brands itself as a stand against ‘authoritarianism and cruelty,’ rallying against what organizers describe as Trump’s ‘crusade against immigrants, healthcare, and free speech.’
In Los Angeles on Saturday evening, police declared an unlawful assembly near the Metropolitan Detention Center downtown.
Officers used tear gas on crowds and nonlethal rounds. It led to protesters accusing police of escalating tensions following peaceful daytime demonstrations.
‘A dispersal order for the area of Alameda between Aliso and Temple has been ordered … All persons in the area of Alameda and Aliso/Commercial must leave the area,’ the LAPD posted on social media at 6:55 pm.Â
‘All persons in the area have 15 minutes to comply. If you remain in the area you may be subject to arrest or other police action.’
Demonstrators march through downtown Portland during the ‘No Kings’ protestÂ
100 year-old Joan Collie listens to a speech with other protesters during the ‘No Kings’ protestÂ
According to the Portland Police Bureau, the rally drew ‘tens of thousands’ of people to Waterfront Park and wrapped up around 4pmÂ
Demonstrators march over the Hawthorne Bridge during the protest
It’s the second No Kings protest in 2025. The first was in June and drew about 50,000 people
Portland police said the gathering and the march, which contained tens of thousands of people, progressed through downtown and inner Southeast Portland for around three hours
The goal of the latest march was a nonviolent protest against the actions and decisions made by President Donald Trump and his administration
Organizers said millions were expected to participate in cities and towns across the nation for the second ‘No Kings’ protest to denounce the Trump administration
A major theme was frogs, honoring the unofficial mascot of the resistance at Portland’s ICE building
Demonstrators march over the Morrison Bridge during the protest in Portland, Oregon
In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson electrified a massive crowd by accusing Trump of seeking a ‘Civil War rematch.’
‘Are you prepared to destroy authoritarianism once and for all? We’ll let the world hear you – no kings!’ he shouted from the stage, urging Americans to ‘defend democracy’ and ‘fight fascism.’Â
‘The attempt to divide and conquer this nation will not prevail because when the people are united, justice always prevails,’ he added.
The protests drew an array of high-profile supporters. Actors Jack Black and John Cusack were spotted among the marchers, while Senators Bernie Sanders, Raphael Warnock, Chris Murphy, and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker addressed rallies nationwide.Â
‘No, you [Trump] can’t put troops on our streets. You can’t create enough chaos to invoke the Insurrection Act so you can stay in power. We all know what your plan is,’Â Cusack told CNN at the event in Chicago.
Sanders spoke in Washington, D.C., denouncing what he called an orchestrated assault on civil liberties, while Warnock in Atlanta accused Trump of ‘weaponizing despair.’
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson ignited the crowd on Saturday by telling liberals to be ‘ready to defend this democracy’ and to be ‘ready to fight fascism’
New York’s Times Square floods with protesters for the No Kings rally on Saturday
Daniella Diener participates with other protesters in the ‘No Kings’ rally and march in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday
Pulling a giant inflatable Donald Trump protesters march in the streets during a ‘No Kings’ protest on Saturday in Los Angeles
Crowds gather to listen to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., during a No Kings protest, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Bernie Sanders spoke at the protest in DC , issuing a defiant message to his Republican colleagues and the Republican administration amid the government shutdown
Meanwhile, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson branded the rallies a ‘hate America protest’ filled with ‘antifa people and pro-Hamas sympathizers.’
Governors across several states mobilized security forces as the day unfolded. Texas Governor Greg Abbott vowed to ‘surge forces’ into Austin ahead of the protests, warning, ‘Texas will NOT tolerate chaos.’
In Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin activated the National Guard, saying peaceful protest ‘does not include destruction of property, looting, vandalism, or violence of any kind — for which there will be zero tolerance.’
Even in states untouched by unrest, officials placed law enforcement on alert, bracing for possible copycat demonstrations.
