QuickTake:

For the second straight night on Saturday, federal officers released tear gas and fired pepper balls to disperse a group of protesters at the Eugene Federal Building. At least one demonstrator was injured.

For the second straight night Saturday, Jan. 31, federal agents deployed tear gas and other apparent chemical agents to disperse protesters at the Eugene Federal Building, though it was a much smaller group than had gathered on Friday.

10:40 p.m.

At about 9:20 p.m., people help a protester who was bleeding from the back of the head during a demonstration at the Eugene Federal Building on Saturday Jan. 31, 2026. Credit: Payton Bruni / for Lookout Eugene-Springfield

D Senner, 19, said he lives in Springfield and attended the protest for the second straight night on Saturday.

He said that in addition to the tear gas, flash-bang stun grenades and pepper balls were used against protesters earlier in the evening. Photo timestamps show tear gas in the federal building plaza just before 9:30 p.m.

Senner said one person was hit in the head with a pepper ball and was taken away in an ambulance.

“I have to be out here, especially when they’re out there killing and murdering innocent people for no reason,” Senner said. — Lillian Schrock-Clevenger

10:30 p.m.

Protesters hold signs at the street corner during an anti-ICE demonstration near the Eugene Federal Building on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. Credit: Payton Bruni / for Lookout Eugene-Springfield

As most of the protesters left, one woman held a sign that read “Resist.”

“Everybody should be out here,” said the woman, who lives in Eugene but would not give her name. “You know what I mean, like, this is potentially the last chance … for a country to take a stand before things get too bad.”

“I’ve been working in social services for the last decade, and I’ve seen firsthand the way that these things can impact people, especially in regards to socioeconomics.” — Lillian Schrock-Clevenger

10:15 p.m.

Protesters gather for another night of demonstrations against ICE and the Trump administration at the Eugene Federal Building on Saturday. Credit: Payton Bruni / for Lookout Eugene-Springfield

A few more than 20 protesters were lined up along Seventh Avenue in front of the federal building following the latest deployment of chemical agents meant to disperse the protesters.

A protester who would only be identified by his Twitch handle “ismelchikken” said he was hit in the leg with a pepper ball. He said protesters outside the building were yelling at people inside to quit their jobs “and they came out and tear-gassed us.”

“I don’t like the idea of them kidnapping my friends, neighbors and coworkers,” he said. — Lillian Schrock-Clevenger

Original update

Starting at around 8 p.m., there were reports of tear gas being deployed at the Eugene Federal Building. The crowd of demonstrators was estimated at around 30 by Lookout Eugene-Springfield staff.

While the size of the crowd didn’t increase by much during the evening, additional rounds of chemical agents were deployed. One person appeared to be injured during the incident.

Trump mentions Eugene protests

Earlier, at 12:55 p.m. Pacific time Saturday, President Donald Trump mentioned Eugene in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.

“Last night in Eugene, Oregon, these criminals broke into a Federal Building, and did great damage, also scaring and harassing the hardworking employees. Local Police did nothing in order to stop it.” 

Read more about the Trump post and Lookout’s fact-check of it