Portland police commander says federal forces escalated protest tensions

Federal forces deployed by President Donald Trump escalated tensions and intensified violence rather than preventing it during protests outside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters, a Portland police commander said Wednesday.

Portland Police Bureau Cmdr. Franz Schoening testified during a federal court hearing examining whether Trump had legal basis to deploy the National Guard to Portland; city ​​officials argued that this was unnecessary and provocative.

Schoening described instances in which federal agents fired tear gas at what he called nonviolent demonstrators and said the actions were “staggering.” The ICE facility has been the focus of protests since June.

He said state and federal laws prohibit police departments from using the same tactics that federal officers employ, including the use of tear gas and other munitions. He added that Portland police officers were also hit with tear gas and had to retreat.

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Schoening described a larger protest on October 18 in which a federal agent allegedly fired a round of munitions (smoke or tear gas) that ricocheted off the facility’s driveway and landed on the roof where other agents were stationed. These agents responded by firing additional bullets into the crowd.

“We did not see any violent behavior or behavior that would precipitate this use of force,” Schoening said. “It appears to have been triggered by the federal officer deploying the munitions. Our officers were too close and the federal munitions hit them.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stand against demonstrators as tear gas fills the air outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs building during a protest in Portland, Ore., on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Portland attorney Caroline Turco said the evidence showed the protests were largely peaceful and did not justify National Guard intervention.

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“This case is about whether we have a nation of constitutional law or martial law,” Turco said in his opening statement. he said.

The U.S. Department of Justice countered that federal personnel were targeted over the summer. DOJ attorney Eric Hamilton argued that “agitators used violence and threatened violence” against officers and property.

U.S. Border Patrol Agents detain a demonstrator during a protest outside ICE headquarters in South Portland, Oregon, on Thursday, October 3, 2025. (Reuters/Carlos Barria)

In the hearing transcript, the Trump administration accused Portland officials of being “unhelpful and at times hostile” and alleged that city police repeatedly failed to support federal agents.

“The record is replete with evidence that PPB failed to provide assistance when federal authorities requested it,” Justice Department attorneys wrote.

The administration also maintains that it was forced to redeploy Department of Homeland Security agents from across the country to Portland because of the protests.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents detain a man outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs building during a protest on Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

He also suggests that the Trump administration may call in the National Guard due to the president’s failure to enforce the law with regular forces in Portland, calling the protests a “riot” or “danger of insurrection”; Both are cited as justification under federal law for deploying the National Guard.

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The non-jury trial is expected to last three days and will include testimony from federal officials. Local police maintain that they make arrests when necessary, while also respecting First Amendment rights.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.