Over the weekend, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) issued a statement detailing their monitoring of protest activities in various city locations, including Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Dawson Park, and near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in the South Portland Neighborhood. According to the PPB, an Incident Management Team was put into effect, coordinating several units such as the Rapid Response Team (RRT) and Dialogue Liaison Officers (DLOs), which are tasked with fostering communication between law enforcement and demonstrators. The liaison officers, identified by their white uniform shirts, are sworn officers with arrest powers.
The protests led to two arrests on Saturday evening. One of the individuals, Hailey M. Knight, was apprehended on probable cause for harassment after allegedly pushing a police officer at a previous event. Another, Jennifer M. Bitgood, was arrested on a warrant related to "Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Coercion," stemming from a shooting incident in the Mt. Tabor Neighborhood last December, as per the details shared by the PPB in a news update.
Activities at Waterfront Park were conducted with minimal law enforcement presence, thanks to the coordination between event organizers and PPB's DLOs. A separate unplanned march downtown also took place but concluded without incident. Additionally, another gathering at Dawson Park required no police intervention, the Police bureau reported.
The Portland Police reiterated, they are not engaged in immigration enforcement per PPB Directive 810.10, but their primary concern remains public safety and the enforcement of state laws. In a statement obtained by the PPB, Chief Day reaffirmed this commitment in a letter to the community. Guidance about the bureau's immigration policy can be found. The Portland Police Bureau also addressed the public through their Events channel on X, a platform formerly known as Twitter, encouraging citizens to stay updated by following their page.
Authorities said the latest protest activity brings the total number of arrests connected to ICE-related demonstrations to 82 since the unrest began. The Portland Police Bureau stated that while it supports constitutionally protected protest activity, officers are also responsible for addressing criminal conduct. Police said arrests are made for specific alleged offenses, and that investigations may continue after events conclude, with cases referred for prosecution when applicable.
