Independent journalist Nick Sortor was arrested by Portland police while documenting Antifa violence outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility — sparking widespread condemnation and renewed scrutiny of Portland’s handling of political unrest.
Sortor, who covered the protests in Portland, said officers suddenly targeted him after Antifa agitators assaulted him.
“This was as big of a surprise to me as it was to everybody else. All of a sudden, you know, I’m being jumped by Antifa thugs,” Sortor told Fox News. “I get back up, I stumble away and go back toward cops where I think, you know, at least, all right, well, maybe that’ll be a safer place for me to go… never suspected that I was going to be the target of the arrest.”
He said officers failed to tell him why they arrested him.
“When they put me into handcuffs, the first thing that went to my mind wasn’t, ‘Oh, you’re being arrested.’ It’s, ‘Oh, they’re trying to help you and get you out of here and make it look like they’re doing something.’ They weren’t telling me what they were doing. They weren’t telling me I was under arrest. They weren’t telling me what I was being charged with. And it took over an hour for me to find out what I was charged with,” Sortor said.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent a letter to Portland officials demanding records related to Sortor’s arrest. “PPB reportedly arrested individuals who may have been involved in an altercation, choosing to arrest Nick Sortor, but not others,” the letter read. Dhillon also criticized police for ignoring attacks on journalist Katie Daviscourt during the same protest.
Sortor said Antifa attackers broke his equipment and continued to strike him.
“They threw multiple punches at me. They broke my camera by hitting that. I was on the ground at that point and tried to swing. I missed, and saw the opportunity to get up and get away,” Sortor told Fox News.
Portland police defended the arrest in a statement:
“As with all such situations, arrests are based on observed behavior and probable cause — not political affiliation or public profile. Formal charges will be determined by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.”
Other media figures accused Portland police of political bias.
“People are furious because the latest arrest of @nicksortor is part of a long history of your leadership directing the arrests of low-hanging fruit, which usually means those on the right,” journalist Andy Ngo posted on X.
“It came two days after you let a violent assailant of @KatieDaviscourt simply walk away even as she desperately flagged down one of your officers, followed the fleeing suspect and pointed her out.”
Sortor has gained national attention for his on-scene reporting from disaster and protest zones.
National Fallout: Judge Blocks Portland Troop Deployment as Trump Sends Forces to Chicago
The escalating unrest in Portland coincided with major national developments Saturday. President Donald Trump authorized the deployment of 300 National Guard troops to Chicago after a federal agent reportedly shot an armed motorist, even as a federal judge blocked his plan to send troops into Portland.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said the troops would “protect federal officers and assets” amid what Trump has called “lawlessness plaguing American cities.”
In a sharply worded ruling, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued a temporary restraining order halting Trump’s Portland deployment, writing that his determination was “simply untethered to the facts.” She said the administration had failed to show that violence in Portland was “part of an organized attempt to overthrow the government,” concluding that “regular law enforcement forces” could manage the situation.
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden applauded the decision, calling it “a victory for Oregonians who don’t need or want federal troops provoking violence in our state.”
The split decisions — federal troops heading to Chicago while Portland’s deployment remains blocked — highlight the political and legal flashpoints surrounding Trump’s anti-crime and immigration crackdown.
Ongoing Protests and Police Response
According to a press release issued early Saturday by the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), officers made two arrests during renewed protest activity around the ICE facility in South Portland. The department said a specialized Incident Command Team, including Dialogue Liaison Officers and Rapid Response units, was activated to manage the demonstrations.
At approximately 8:15 p.m. Friday, officers reported that protesters had moved into the street, obstructing traffic. After repeated requests to return to the sidewalk, two individuals allegedly refused and engaged in aggressive behavior toward one another, according to PPB.
Police arrested Thomas Wayne Allen, 36, and Cortez Carl Williams, 34, both of Portland, on second-degree disorderly conduct charges. Allen was reportedly carrying a can of chemical spray and a collapsible metal baton at the time of his arrest.
PPB said the response — including sound-truck announcements and targeted arrests — prevented additional clashes from breaking out.
“While PPB’s role is public safety and supporting constitutionally protected activity, part of our role is to address criminal acts,” the department stated. “Officers may be seen in a larger group to make targeted arrests for specific crimes committed.”
The bureau said it continues to monitor protest activity near the ICE facility and may pursue follow-up charges as investigations progress.