A man who confessed to attacking a federal officer during protests at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. The sentencing took place on Thursday.

Robert Jacob Hoopes had earlier pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault against a federal employee, involving the use of a dangerous weapon.

Court documents reveal that during a protest in June 2025, Hoopes hurled a rock that hit an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officer in the face, resulting in “significant injury.”

Prosecutors detailed that the officer suffered a severe wound that bled profusely, impairing his vision and necessitating medical treatment beyond basic first aid.

“Today’s message is clear — violence is not a protest,” declared Scott Bradford, the US Attorney for the District of Oregon, in a statement. “When you cross the line and assault a federal officer, you will be prosecuted.”

In addition to the prison sentence, Hoopes was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay more than $8,000 in restitution.

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, FBI investigators identified Hoopes using facial recognition technology.

According to charging documents, investigators submitted a photograph published by OregonLive.com into commercially available facial recognition software.

Federal authorities said the software generated approximately 30 potential matches from publicly available databases.

Investigators then reviewed the results and identified a photograph on a Reed College SmugMug page titled “Canyon Day April ’23.”

Prosecutors said a tattoo visible on the individual’s forearm matched a tattoo seen on the suspect during the June 14 protest.

Hoopes’ father, Tom Hoopes, previously described his son as a “lifelong Quaker who is deeply committed to pacifism” in an interview with KATU.

While he did not dispute that his son attended the protest, he declined to discuss his specific involvement.

“What his involvement was: I can’t speak to that, but he is deeply committed to justice,” KATU quoted him as saying.

The Justice Department has pursued cases against numerous individuals accused of assaulting federal officers during protests tied to President Trump’s immigration policies.

More recently, clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement outside Delaney Hall, an immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, have resulted in dozens of arrests.

In a thrilling World Cup match, South Korea managed to overturn a deficit and secure a 2-1 victory against Czechia. However, the game was marked by a noticeable lack of spectators.

The issue of ticket pricing has quickly become a public relations nightmare for FIFA as the tournament kicks off.

Despite FIFA’s assertions of record-breaking interest, with their ticketing platform reportedly receiving an unprecedented 500 million booking requests, the stadium in Guadalajara, located in western Mexico, was far from packed.

The stadium announcer claimed that nearly 44,985 attendees were present in the 45,664-capacity venue last night.

However, TV broadcasts revealed numerous empty seats, especially in the VIP sections, contradicting FIFA’s statement that only around 700 seats were unoccupied during South Korea’s opening match.

FIFA has had to drastically cut ticket prices for all 104 matches in a bid to entice more supporters to the US, Canada and Mexico, despite boasting about the huge demand.

But fans have complained about pricing, with tickets for the least popular group matches still being put on sale for upwards of $300.

Thousands of tickets still remain available on its official resale portals, even for the United States’ opening match against Paraguay on Friday in Los Angeles.

However, the opening match at the famous Azteca Stadium in Mexico was an 83,264 sell-out, where home fans saw their country beat South Africa 2-0 after an opening ceremony featuring Shakira and a duet between KPop Demon Hunters star Ejae and Andrea Bocelli.

But there were riots and protests outside the stadium where petrol bombs and bricks were hurled at Mexican police.

South Korea and Czechia played the World Cup’s second match in front of many empty seats

FIFA insisted only around 700 seats were not taken but in reality it looked like much more

The magnificent Guadalajara Stadium had spaces available throughout the stands

The two nations completed the tournament’s opening day at Mexico’s Guadalajara Stadium

FIFA has insisted that there has never been more interest in buying match tickets – ten times more than previous tournaments.

‘You’ve heard, there were many ​discussions about the ticketing of the World ​Cup,’ President Gianni Infantino said in April. 

‘We had 500 million ticket requests — 500 million ​ticket requests. In the last two World Cups ​together, we had 50 million ticket requests. Here, 500 million.’ 

South Korea eventually got the better of Czechia on the night, fighting back from a goal down to win 2-1.

But seats were not taken. 

The opening day of the World Cup proved a chaotic one for FIFA, with violent protests erupting outside the Mexico City Stadium before the opening match between Mexico and South Africa.

What was supposed to be a global celebration turned into a chaotic political nightmare, threatening to completely overshadow the tournament’s curtain-raiser.

While Mexico secured a 2-0 victory over South Africa , thousands of protesters hit the capital to voice rage over missing citizens and poor labor conditions.

The massive demonstrations were fueled by a coalition of multiple unions and activist groups marching to draw global eyes to the country’s severe domestic issues.

The most prominent groups mobilizing include searching mothers’ collectives, the CNTE teachers’ union, federal judiciary workers and various transport organizations. In total, it was reported that eight simultaneous protests took place on Thursday.

Protesters attempt to breach the Mexico City Stadium but are stopped by a line of riot police as the match began inside

A demonstrator waves a stick in front of riot police during violent scenes outside the stadium

Human rights groups have thrown a spotlight on the country’s staggering missing-persons epidemic, which continues to plague tens of thousands of families.

According to Mexico’s National Registry, there are currently 134,460 recorded missing persons across the nation, a figure that continues to rise rapidly.

Shakira officially opened the 2026 World Cup on Thursday as the football extravaganza kicked off against a backdrop of chaos that threatens to derail the tournament. 

In a rematch of the opening match from 2010, Mexico kickstarted the blockbuster tournament with a 2-0 win against South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday. 

Yet, before the first whistle was even blown, fans were treated to an eye-catching display of action.

Shakira and Burna Boy performed Dai Dai, the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to headline the opening ceremony. 

In a spectacle of color and sound, hundreds of dancers joined the Colombian singer, who turned heads in a neon yellow bodysuit and white miniskirts, on the stage at the center of the field. 

Shakira  joined Burna Boy to perform Dai Dai the official song of the 2026 World Cup

The singer wows in a neon yellow bodysuit and white miniskirt and sunglasses

Thousands of fans went wild inside the Azteca as Shakira, who also recorded the official anthem for the 2010 World Cup, shimmied her hips amid the sea of backup dancers. 

She lit up the arena with her signature dance moves and trademark high-energy as she was joined by a traditional Mexican mariachi band.

A massive gold replica of the World Cup trophy erupted from the ground at the center of the stage as the stream of dancers in brightly colored outfits burst out alongside the statue. 

The jam-packed show also featured performances from Alejandro Fernandez, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Angeles Azules, Mana and Tyla – all of whom featured on the first-ever FIFA World Cup album. 

Shakira’s fellow Colombian, rapper J Balvin, was one of the biggest headlining acts at the ceremony, strutting on stage before Shakira’s appearance. 

J Balvin, one of the biggest artists in Latin America, performed alongside singer Ryan Castro after Mexican pop-rock legends Mana warmed up the home crowd with their classic hits. 

Mexican actress and FIFA ambassador Salma Hayek was tasked with officially opening the tournament. 

She delivered a short welcome speech before the ceremonial display of national flags and was later spotted in the stands alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino. 

South African singer Tyla performed her nation’s national anthem before kickoff before later taking a seat alongside reggaeton singer Becky G, who, despite being born in the US, proudly embraces her Mexican heritage and supports El Tri.  

A stream of Mexican fans descended on the famous stadium hours before kickoff to celebrate their nation hosting the World Cup for a record third time. 

Mexican actress Salma Hayek was tasked with declaring the tournament open

Hayek, a FIFA ambassador, was later seen in the stands with FIFA President Gianni Infantino 

A stream of dancers in brightly colored outfits burst out alongside the statue

Other dancers were dressed in gold tracksuits and helmets as the paraded around footballs

They transformed the Azteca into a spectacle of color, dressing in red and green from head to toe. 

Many sported eye-catching outfits, donning extravagant headdresses, sequined sombreros and luchador masks. 

Those not fortunate enough to have gotten their hands on one of the eye-wateringly expensive tickets piled into the fan zone in the Zócalo plaza in the historic district of Mexico City. 

However, chaotic scenes broke out at the free admission fan park just over an hour before kickoff. 

Access to the fan fest in Zócalo plaza was hampered by metal barriers erected in recent days to prevent protesting teachers from reaching the area. But thousands of fans attempted to shove their way into the fan zone, according to AFP. 

‘Stop pushing and shoving, there are children here, you’re like animals!’ a city official shouted through a megaphone as he tried to control access to the fan venue.

Some fans threw water bottles and hurled insults at police, as well as chanting in support of the Mexican team.

The local government announced on social media that the site was ‘full’ and suggested fans go to other plazas.

Meanwhile, while fans around the world were stunned by Shakira’s performance, viewers in the United States were furious when Fox, the official American broadcaster of the World Cup, failed to show the ceremony on its live coverage. 

Instead, American fans tuning in to catch the high-octane performance were forced to listen to analysis from the network’s panel of Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexi Lalas. 

It is unclear why the network decided to shun Shakira’s performance but Telemundo, the Spanish-language carrier of the tournament, broadcast the entire show.  

In Orlando, the nation’s Catholic bishops convened on Thursday afternoon for a special ceremony, dedicating the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This event, steeped in a tradition dating back centuries, was held in honor of the country’s 250th anniversary.

The ceremony took place in a contemporary Orlando shrine, filled with the resonant sounds of organ music, brass instruments, and choral voices. This liturgical service was a highlight of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ spring gathering.

Prior to the main service, bishops and congregants knelt before relics of St. Mary Margaret Alacoque, a 17th-century French nun. Her visions of Jesus sparked the widespread devotion to the Sacred Heart, symbolizing the essence of Christ’s enduring love. This devotion has since become a global phenomenon, with the Sacred Heart name gracing numerous Catholic institutions and its image adorning many homes and businesses.

The ceremony paid tribute to America’s history, referencing the Declaration of Independence’s ideals of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” It also featured prayers that confronted the nation’s historical transgressions, such as the “original sins of slavery and racism.” Recognizing both achievements and faults is crucial, according to Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, who leads the bishops’ conference.

“By consecrating ourselves to the Sacred Heart, we respond to Jesus’ call to dwell in his love and let it influence every facet of our existence, both public and private,” Coakley explained. “A truthful reflection requires us to admit that neither our nation nor the church has consistently mirrored that love.”

A Catholic history of Sacred Heart consecrations

It’s the first time such a service has been held in this country, although similar ones have taken place in several other countries since the 19th century. Such services, occasionally in conjunction with civil leaders, have taken on political and sometimes controversial overtones when it has been used in support of Catholic nationalistic movements.

Pope Leo XIII, the most recent namesake of the current pontiff, consecrated the entire world to the Sacred Heart in 1899.

Before the service, bishops heard devotional talks from some of their members, emphasizing Pope Francis’ final encyclical, or teaching document, in which he highlighted the Sacred Heart as an inspiration for service and justice.

The relics of St. Mary Margaret Alacoque were brought over from their permanent location in France and displayed in front of the church for the occasion. While scholars trace the roots of the Catholic devotion to the Sacred Heart to ancient times, her reports of visions are credited with fostering the modern images, prayers and piety surrounding it.

Thursday’s service took place at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. The strong afternoon Florida sun shone brightly even through the filters of stained-glass windows beside and above the worshippers.

Rows upon rows of bishops in their purple hats and white robes sat in front of the sanctuary, with other worshippers behind and beside them.

Small revisions made to US Catholic sex abuse policies

Earlier Thursday, in their twice-a-year gathering, the bishops approved minor revisions to their policies on responding to sexual abuse, adding some specifics about due process for accused priests while maintaining the ban on any priests from ministry who had been found to have abused children.

Some bishops called for a delay in adopting the revisions to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in order to gain broader feedback on it, but they were outvoted. The final vote for approval was 176-22.

The revisions began five years ago. It was first approved in 2002 at the peak of the Catholic clergy sex abuse crisis, when reports by the Boston Globe about abuse and coverup in the Archdiocese of Boston ignited an explosion of similar revelations nationwide and beyond. The charter has been revised periodically since then.

The centerpieces of that document remain — including the banishing of priests from ministry for any confirmed episode of sexual abuse.

The revisions are “trying to do two things at the same time,” said Bishop Barry Knestout, who chairs the committee that revised it.

“One is to retain and also reemphasize the commitment of bishops to address the issue of potential for abuse, safeguarding of our children and young people in a way that’s both transparent and accountable,” he said. The other is to “recognize due process and presumption of innocence” of the accused while a case is being investigated.

“We’re trying not to lose any of the commitment to victim survivors yet still recognize that there is in fairness a process that should be undertaken,” he said.

The advocacy group BishopAccountability.org issued a statement calling the approval a “missed opportunity,” saying a delay would have allowed wider input into the document and produced a better and more “trauma-informed” charter. It called for close scrutiny of the revisions at the diocese level.

___

This week, military veterans and lawmakers voiced strong criticism against the proposed design for the Global War on Terrorism Memorial, arguing that its abstract nature fails to adequately honor the memory of fallen service members.

The design, crafted by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, features a “classically inspired amphitheater” with a distinctive ribbon made from reclaimed steel used in combat operations, draped in vegetation that arches over the memorial’s marble surface.

Plans for the memorial also include steel and stone from the 9/11 attack sites, positioned at the entrances, alongside a shallow reflecting pool. This pool is intended to allow visitors to leave their footprints beside embedded ones, symbolizing “the weight of war and the varied experiences of those who served and their families,” as explained by the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, the organization advocating for the monument to be installed on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

However, critics have called for a redesign, arguing that the current concept falls short.

Senator Mike Lee of Utah expressed his dissatisfaction on social media platform X, stating, “This design resembles a landscape feature more fitting for a hotel courtyard or mini-golf course than a monument honoring the brave men and women who fought and the lives lost to radical Islamic terrorism.”

“There are American designers ready and willing to inspire their countrymen and honor those who served,” he urged. “Let’s start over and hire one of them.” 

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), a retired Navy SEAL, indicated there is bipartisan support in both the House and Senate “to stop this proposed Jazz Hands monument to our fallen brothers and sisters. “ 

Van Orden warned he would hold the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation “organizationally and personally accountable if you proceed with [this] abomination.” 

Fox News contributor and Marine veteran Joey Jones lamented that “considering how Afghanistan ended … maybe we survivors deserve the ugliest memorial on the mall … but the warriors eternally resting under a modest headstone deserve better than whatever this [Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation] grass-topped abstract art project is.”

Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), a Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan, called the proposal “a disgrace.” 

“Thousands of heroic Americans sacrificed everything in service to our nation during the Global War on Terror,” Banks wrote on X. “I served in Afghanistan. These were real people with real stories.

“They deserve to be honored with dignity, not disconnected abstract art.”

The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment. 

The foundation, in a press release, said it gathered input from “20,000 Americans across all 50 states and territories, including members of every branch of service and veterans of every conflict since World War II” before settling on the memorial’s design. 

The group also noted that “a 23-member Design Advisory Council of Gold Star family members, veterans, veteran families, and service members guided the design team, ensuring that lived experience, not symbolism alone, would inform every element of the design.” 

“This Memorial is not an abstract commission for our team, it is a sacred responsibility,” Kuma, the architect of the memorial, said in a statement, 

Kuma, who noted he lost a close friend in the attacks on the World Trade Center, said his role was “not to impose a design, but to listen.” 

“The voices of those who served and the families who stood beside them became our source of inspiration,” he said.

“We wanted to create a place of reflection and connection, a living Memorial where nature, light, and the materials of this war come together as an embrace for a grateful Nation.”