A protest focusing on national immigration enforcement turned into a street takeover, leading to the temporary closure of a Salem intersection and the arrest of five individuals on Saturday. According to a report by the City of Salem, the gathering initially began peacefully in the afternoon with about 300 people but escalated as the day continued, with reports of objects being thrown at cars, fireworks being set off, and vehicles engaging in reckless driving maneuvers.
The assembly, protesting at the intersection of Lancaster DR and Market ST NE, resulted in heavy traffic congestion and ensued disturbances. This ranged from blocking traffic with a vehicle encircled by protesters to the igniting of fireworks. The Salem Police Department was compelled to muster additional forces, including calling in officers from home to respond effectively to the rapidly escalating situation, as detailed by the City of Salem.
Around 8:30 p.m., the throng of participants turned into nearly 50 individuals occupying the street, engaging in dangerous driving activities like burnouts and drifting. The intersection was subsequently closed, and traffic was rerouted. The violence seemed to peak when demonstrators surrounded a vehicle, preventing movement on Lancaster DR, Salem Police told the City of Salem. Officers from the Mobile Response Team (MRT) arrived and tackled the obstruction, even as they faced projectiles such as water bottles and cans of beer.
During the intervention, a handgun was seized, and five individuals found engaging in criminal behavior were arrested. These included Abram Michael Delao, Martin Andrew Gonzalez, Joshua Alexander Perez, Martin Arturo Galvez-Prado, and Angel Sierra Ramos. Galvez-Prado was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, the City of Salem noted. The crowd eventually dispersed and the streets reopened around 11:00 p.m., with no injuries reported though follow-up investigations are pending on several counts of criminal mischief.
Salem Police Chief Trevor Womack acknowledged the complex conditions officers had to navigate, saying, "Saturday’s unruly protest, along with other emergency calls including an armed kidnapping, strained our limited patrol staffing resources," as stated by the City of Salem. Womack expressed pride in the Salem Police and regional partners for their response and professionalism under pressure. Throughout the incident, the Oregon State Police and the Keizer Police Department provided traffic control and call assistance, relieving the Salem officers who dealt with the takeover.
