In the days and weeks since the Immigration and Customs Enforcement killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and as ICE agents continue forcefully targeting and detaining immigrants, tensions have run high at Eugene’s downtown Federal Building. On Tuesday, Jan. 27, and throughout the following weekend, local protests against ICE escalated.
Federal agents fired tear gas and pepperballs off of federal property, arrested nonviolent protesters and stomped and kicked the Mexican flag. And in the midst of the chaos, there is now debate over who broke one of the windows in the Federal Building — federal agents or protesters.
There have been protests in Eugene since at least early July and in recent weeks, there have been near-daily protests at the Federal Building.
Arrests
The escalation started when two peaceful protesters were violently arrested Jan. 27 while participating in an interfaith song vigil in the plaza of the downtown Eugene Federal Building.
Every Tuesday, there are three regularly scheduled protests at the Federal Building: the interfaith “Singing for our Lives” protest and vigil, a silent protest and a “Love and Rage” protest. On the last Tuesday of each month, the Lane County Immigrant Defense Network protests on the day that the most ICE appointments are often scheduled.
After the news of the arrests spread, protesters massed at the front entrance, chanting “ICE Out” and “No ICE, No KKK, No Fascist U.S.A.” Throughout Tuesday, agents came out of the building, arresting peaceful protesters and using pepper balls and pepper spray.
“I’m worried that this is the pretense for similar sieges like we see in Minneapolis, where they’re just doing random pushes on protests and apprehending whoever happens to be within their grip,” Devin Maughan, a volunteer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, told Eugene Weekly at the Jan. 27 protest.
Chris Rompala, a registered nurse, who attended that evening’s candlelight vigil for Pretti, said it’s now more important than ever to stand together against ICE and the federal government’s actions. “It’s a weird juxtaposition,” Rompala said of the protest happening behind the vigil. “This is what this has all been about. Federal agents are coming out fully armed with gas masks to people who are standing here peacefully with signs.”
Later that evening, more protesters gathered at the front entrance of the Federal Building. Federal agents tossed a flashbang out the front door and rushed out of the building, making more arrests. Standoffs went on throughout the night. This was the first time agents were seen firing tear gas canisters into Pearl Street and East 7th Avenue.
Broken windows, gas in the streets
Jan. 30 was a “National Day of Action,” a mass-protest effort against ICE.
In Springfield, organizers with PSL, Lane County Immigrant Defense Network, Springfield Alliance for Equity and Respect and the Activist Coalition of Eugene Springfield held a “No Business as Usual” protest. Despite the presence of armed counter-protesters, the vigil stayed peaceful.
In Eugene, protesters gathered once again at the Federal Building. This time, they were more prepared for the munitions like the tear gas used by federal agents three days earlier. Many protesters held signs peacefully on the street corner, and a large number were seen at the front of the Federal Building wearing gas masks and “Black Bloc” — a protest tactic where protesters wear all black to hide their identity.
“I think there’s going to be a big change,” a protester who gave his name as Jay said of ICE protests in Eugene. “Maybe it’s going to be peaceful; maybe it’ll be violent.” Eugene Weekly is not identifying Jay by last name due to his fear of federal crackdowns.
Protesters pounded on and cracked several windows at the front entrance of the building and a large window was shattered. One video appears to show a federal agent hitting the window from inside the building, causing it to break. It is unclear if the window was already broken or cracked, making it easier to break. Federal agents deployed tear gas and the Eugene Police Department declared the protest a riot at 6 pm. Federal officials claim that protesters breached the Federal Building. In an email to Eugene Weekly, EPD spokesperson Melinda McLaughlin writes, “EPD was in communication with people inside the building who reported the windows being broken and breached.”
Shortly after the window was broken, more than 15 Eugene and Springfield police officers arrived and created a barrier between the protesters and federal agents inside the building. After federal reinforcements arrived, agents stormed out of the building, replacing police officers and pushing the crowd back with tear gas, flash bangs and pepper balls. Agents once again fired tear gas into and across East 7th Avenue, landing in a Lane County-owned parking lot.
President Donald Trump commented on the local protest in a Truth Social post where he called the protesters “criminals” and instructed federal agents to be “very forceful.”
“My reaction is the same as it is to any time I hear of someone being harmed for exercising their rights, which is appalled,” Lane County Commissioner Laurie Trieger says of tear gas being fired across the street. “When it’s the government doing it, that’s an extra layer of appalled.” Trieger says she understands that federal agents want to protect the Federal Building, but also emphasizes that the sidewalk is city property and the parking lot is county property. “That’s not their jurisdiction,” she says.
“It is not appropriate to tear gas children at a protest in Portland, or to indiscriminately respond in a way that harms bystanders in Eugene,” Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield writes in an email to Eugene Weekly.
Disrespecting the Mexican flag
On Saturday, Jan. 31, a group of approximately 25 gathered at the front entrance of the Federal Building peacefully. The group taunted officers inside and chanted, “What do we want? ICE Out! When do we want it? Now!” Suddenly, federal agents rushed out of the building and made two arrests.
Later, as more protesters arrived, federal agents pushed back.
As protesters fled, one dropped a Mexican national flag on the ground. A federal agent picked up the flag, held it up, then threw it to the ground and stomped on it. The agent picked it up again, folded it in half and kicked a tear gas canister towards the crowd. Seconds later, the agent fired a canister towards the sidewalk, where protesters and journalists were seeking refuge.
In an interview with Eugene Weekly, independent Eugene Police Auditor Craig Renetzky says he has no familiarity with what federal policy is on the use of force with tear gas. “I would certainly hope they [federal agents] don’t encourage firing at reporters and individuals that are complying with their demands,” he says.
See videos, photo galleries and stories about the week of protests at EugeneWeekly.com.
