Portland, Ore. — November 23, 2025 — A scheduled demonstration in Downtown Portland remained peaceful Saturday, while later protest activity in the South Waterfront area resulted in minor scuffles and one arrest, according to the Portland Police Bureau (PPB).
Earlier in the day, demonstrators gathered and marched through Tom McCall Waterfront Park. PPB deployed an Incident Management Team led by a Crowd Management Incident Commander (CMIC) to oversee the event. The coordinated response included Dialogue Liaison Officers (DLOs), the Rapid Response Team (RRT), and a PPB sound truck. City partners such as Portland Fire & Rescue, the Bureau of Emergency Management, TriMet, and others also supported the operation.
DLOs — sworn officers focused on fostering communication with demonstrators — worked closely with organizers to ensure a safe and minimally disruptive march. PPB expressed gratitude to attendees and event coordinators for communication and cooperation throughout the afternoon.
However, tensions increased during the evening as PPB monitored additional gatherings in the South Waterfront neighborhood near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. Officers periodically intervened to disperse scuffles, ultimately resulting in one arrest.
Preston A. Reyes, 51, of Gresham was arrested for harassment after allegedly spitting on another individual. Reyes reportedly fled the scene but was later apprehended by RRT officers.
While officers handled that incident, another altercation broke out in which multiple people sprayed irritants at one another. Officers interviewed those involved and collected evidence for possible future prosecution.
To date, 68 arrests have been made in connection to ongoing nightly protests in the South Waterfront area.
PPB reiterated that it does not enforce immigration laws as outlined in Directive 810.10 but remains responsible for maintaining public safety. The Bureau continues to send public safety updates through its Events channel on X (formerly Twitter).
Police officials say they will continue monitoring protest activity and may conduct follow-up investigations into criminal actions, even if arrests are not made immediately at the scene.