A political protest outside Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility turned violent Wednesday night when a Trump supporter wearing a shirt that has become symbolic among conservatives got into a physical altercation with demonstrators.
According to KATU News, which had a crew on the scene, the man — dressed in a white shirt with the word “Freedom” printed across the front — began shouting at protesters before shoving an anti-ICE demonstrator to the ground. Federal agents quickly intervened and detained both men.
Police later confirmed three people were arrested on charges of second-degree disorderly conduct:
- Nicholas Sortor, 27, a conservative influencer from Washington, D.C.
- Son Mi Yi, 43, of Portland
- Angela Davis, 49, of Vernonia, Oregon
Sortor and Yi were released from custody, while Davis remained in jail as of Thursday. All three are due in court on Friday.
Sortor, who often films protests for his social media channels, claimed online after his release that he had been attacked while recording and that police made a “massive mistake” by arresting him.
The white “Freedom” shirt worn by the Trump supporter has become an emblematic piece of attire in conservative circles since the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10. Kirk was wearing a nearly identical shirt at the time of his death, and thousands of replicas have since been distributed at rallies and events nationwide.
The Portland protest marks the first widely reported incident of violence involving the shirt’s appearance at a demonstration, highlighting how political symbols are increasingly fueling confrontation in already tense environments.
The altercation follows weeks of nightly demonstrations outside Portland’s ICE facility. Protesters allege federal agents have escalated tensions with force.
“It’s not going to stop us from being down here and doing what’s right,” protester Sarah Ci told KATU, describing what she said was another incident the night before involving ICE agents using force.
Milo Black, another protester, echoed those concerns. Dressed in a Cookie Monster costume, Black told KATU she feared the situation would worsen if Trump’s order to deploy the National Guard was allowed to move forward.
“We’re out here fighting injustice, we’re trying to keep families together,” Black said. “We’re completely within our First Amendment rights. We’re down here just peacefully protesting.”
Protests at Portland’s ICE facility have been ongoing since June 2025, gaining momentum after President Trump formally designated Antifa a domestic terrorist organization and announced plans to deploy National Guard troops to Portland. The president has repeatedly described the city as being “under siege” by extremists, while local activists accuse federal agents of escalating tensions through heavy-handed tactics.
The ICE facility, long a flashpoint in Portland, remains the epicenter of these confrontations, with nightly demonstrations drawing both anti-ICE activists and pro-Trump counterprotesters.
With Friday’s court hearings looming, the city once again braces for potential clashes as Portland continues to symbolize the nation’s deep political divides.
