Some Scuffles Result in Arrests During Protest Activity in South Waterfront

On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, the Portland Police Bureau monitored activity around the ICE facility in the South Waterfront. Most of the protest activity was not in front of the facility but closer to South Bancroft Street and South Bond Avenue.

The Portland Police Bureau activated an Incident Command Team, which is overseen by a Crowd Management Incident Commander (CMIC). The CMIC managed numerous resources that included Dialogue Liaison Officers (DLOs), Rapid Response Team (RRT), Air Support Unit, Mobile Field Forces, and PPB Sound Truck (a loudspeaker-equipped police vehicle). Dialogue Liaison Officers, wearing white uniform shirts, act as liaisons to demonstrators, and their role is not enforcement.

Officers quickly responded to crimes and made arrests where appropriate. In some cases, suspects initiated offensive physical contact including pushing and spitting.

Arrested and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) were:

Jonathan J. Lincoln, 46, of Portland: Harassment

Ren W. Purkerson, 43, of Keizer, Oregon: Harassment

Bianca M. Barrett, 19, of Portland: Harassment

At about 9:30 p.m., Christopher J. Norman, 28, of Vancouver, Washington was stopped in a vehicle for displaying what appeared to be a firearm. Officers determined that the gun was a replica. Because he was caring for a dog, Norman was not booked into jail, but criminally cited for Menacing and released. At about 10:52 p.m., the Portland Police Air Support Unit crew in the PPB airplane reported being flashed with a powerful blue laser from the riverfront multiuse path off South Bancroft Street. Officers located the suspect and determined it was the menacing suspect, Christopher Norman. He was arrested again and transported to the MCDC on a charge of Recklessly Endangering Another Person. Because he was arrested, cited and released, and arrested again, this counts as an additional arrest.

Including these arrests, PPB has made a total of 45 arrests in the South Waterfront area since the nightly protests began in early June.

Officers also did high profile patrols, including on foot, on bicycles, and in police vehicles. One man was cited for having an open container of alcohol. Some traffic stops were made for violations.

PPB does not engage in immigration enforcement as outlined in PPB Directive 810.10, but is still responsible for maintaining public safety and enforcing state laws. Chief Day's letter to the community and FAQ regarding immigration can be found here.

PPB sends out public safety announcements via our Events channel on X (formally known as Twitter). For ongoing updates, follow our page here.

PPB will continue to monitor protest activity. While PPB's role is public safety and supporting constitutionally protected activity, part of our role is to address criminal acts. Officers may be seen in a larger group to make targeted arrests for specific crimes committed. PPB members may also investigate crimes and conduct follow-up investigations into criminal activity later and will forward cases to the Multnomah County District Attorney for prosecution when feasible. As a reminder, just because arrests are not made at the scene, when tensions are high, that does not mean that people are not being charged with crimes later.

Information on PPB's Public Order teams can be found here.

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