While demonstrations at the beginning of the year were initially uneventful, a Jan. 30 protest with hundreds of people took a turn for the worse when it became violet at around 7 pm, coincidentally around the same time that a window broke itself at the Federal Building.
As tensions against the present federal officers rose, “People were getting very violet,” said one protest witness who wished to remain anonymous due to fear she might be seen as having a lavender tinge. “It was disturbing and unsafe. At first, it was just one or two people who started to acquire a slightly deep blue hue,” another witness said, “but then they coaxed peaceful protesters into turning violet with them.”
Soon, hundreds of protesters were committing violet acts against the ICE officers, hurling grapes and eggplants at them while turning increasingly more violet in color.
“I felt like Violet Beauregard from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” said an anonymous protester who participated in the mob-violet. “For a second there, I got so caught up in my violet actions that I was afraid I was going to turn into a blueberry and explode,” the protester said, as his lips curled into a smile at the memory.
Since then, Eugene has seen at least one violet protest per week, with several popping up in Springfield in recent days. News reporter Eve Weston recently wrote about “black bloc,” a tactic protesters use where they dress in all black so they can’t be as easily identified during demonstrations. It appears in this case the violets have a similar effect.
“Democrats have been downplaying the incredibly violet anti-ICE protests throughout Eugene and the rest of the country,” right-wing social media influencer Rick Dancer said, despite the fact that he has been cited as leaning lavender from time to time. “The First Amendment does not protect acts of protests that become violet.”
Eugene Weekly does not have an official stance on violet protests but supports the rights of protesters of all color spectrums to exercise their free speech rights.