Kotek, Eugene mayor urge peaceful protests as Trump puts Eugene in national spotlight

Gov. Tina Kotek sent a text message to President Donald Trump after protests in which federal agents deployed tear gas on demonstrators gathered around the Eugene Federal Building. 

“We have this under control,” Kotek said she told the president. “We’re good.”

Kotek said she got no response from Trump. But the president did post a message to his Truth Social account Saturday that called out Friday’s clash in Eugene, saying it had done “great damage.”

During a press conference Sunday, Feb. 1 in Eugene, Kotek recounted that message and urged people to stay peaceful and not give in to the chaos surrounding increased federal immigration enforcement. Kotek and other local leaders, including Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson, addressed the tumultuous clashes over the last week between federal officers and protesters.

On the heels of the press conference, the Department of Homeland Security released its account of unrest in an email to Lookout Eugene-Springfield, saying hundreds of protesters Friday did more than $200,000 worth of damage to the federal building.

Oregon leaders: Don’t give in to the chaos

Kotek’s text to Trump underscores the efforts of local and state leaders to cool rising tensions, encourage peaceful protests and hold the U.S. government accountable when federal law enforcement engages in excessive use of force.

In his Truth Social post Saturday, Trump also said he had ordered the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol to “be forceful” while protecting federal government property. He also declared that local governments have an “obligation to also protect” federal property. 

Kotek said Oregonians can protest without breaking the law, declaring “peaceful protest is an important constitutional right.” Kotek said she has faith in local law enforcement and protesters to follow the law.

‘What the Trump administration wants is chaos,” Kotek said. “They want division and we’re just not going to give it to them.”

Other local leaders urged residents Sunday not to give the Trump administration an excuse to send in a larger number of federal officers. 

“Don’t take the bait,” said state Sen. James Manning, D-Eugene. 

Knudson said she’s concerned about the use of excessive force by federal officers, adding the city is working to address that. Part of that path forward will begin to unfold Monday when the Legislature starts its 35-day session to consider bills to protect Oregonians in response to federal immigration enforcement tactics, such as officers wearing masks. 

“I am working with our state partners and our national partners to address how it is that we can protect our local community members from excessive uses of force when people are exercising their constitutional rights,” Knudson said.

Knudson highlighted events in Minneapolis in which two U.S. citizens were killed by federal law enforcement. 

For two consecutive nights, federal agents deployed tear gas to disperse protesters at the Eugene Federal Building. The first – and largest protest – unfolded Friday, Jan. 30. 

Knudson thanked legal observers who offered support during the protests, local law enforcement and all the “peaceful protesters who have been showing up.”

“We are not doing anything wrong,” the mayor said. “Peaceful protest is a sign of health in a functioning democracy. It does not include property damage, or vandalism or assault and you know this.”

Knudson said she supported Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner’s decision to declare the activity a riot on Friday. She said that action came because windows in the federal building were broken and the Eugene police officers created a “barrier between federal agents and the public gathered there.”

“This was a very real circumstance where people’s lives could have been at risk,” Knudson said.

Knudson said there’s no reason to declare a curfew for peaceful protesting and the city will adapt if necessary, “if there are other circumstances that occur.”

U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, represents a congressional district that includes Eugene. She said lawful protest is the key to avoiding a larger federal force in Eugene.

“If we don’t break the law, that means they cannot gaslight us into saying that they are entitled and they have a reason to bring more forces,” Hoyle said.

Hoyle said the Trump administration wants chaos, but Oregonians should not give in to them. Her solution: Protest, but don’t do it right next to the federal building.

“Stay away from the federal building,” Hoyle said. “That’s all. It’s simple. And keep showing up because that is what works — when people stand up and exercise their First Amendment rights to protest.”

The Eugene mayor said local police made no arrests. 

Federal response 

In its statement Sunday, which followed the press conference by Eugene and state officials, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said federal officers made arrests Friday and Saturday night.

“On Friday night, 400 rioters stormed the ICE Eugene building destroying windows and did over $200,000 worth of damage to the facility,” Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary of the federal agency, said in a statement.

It’s unclear whether any protesters entered the building. McLaughlin said the Eugene Police Department and the Springfield Police Department responded to officers’ calls for help, contradicting Trump’s social media post that local police “did nothing” to stop it.

McLaughlin said four people were arrested Friday on charges that include assault on an officer, disorderly conduct, wearing a mask while committing a crime on federal property and failure to comply with official signs. The agency did not provide names of those arrested and there was no way to immediately verify the statement’s accuracy.

Federal officials didn’t immediately respond to follow-up questions.

Three arrests were made Saturday, the statement said. People involved Saturday “attempted to storm the facility and threw objects at federal law enforcement to include projectiles, and an attempt return of chemical munitions,” McLaughlin said. “One rioter was carrying a rifle. Three rioters were arrested and cited on charges including assault on a federal officer, trespassing, creating a hazard, and disorderly conduct.”

McLaughlin said anyone who destroys federal property and assaults or obstructs law enforcement will be prosecuted.