Most protesters leave area around federal building, at least one detained

A protester who was part of a traffic blockade at a protest near the Eugene Federal Building was thrown off the hood of a car that tried to get through the blockade, and was taken away in an ambulance, according to witnesses. The collision came toward the end of three demonstrations in downtown Eugene on Saturday, Feb. 28, as activists protested ICE and the U.S. strikes on Iran.

8:05 p.m.

Most of the protesters have left the area around the federal building following actions by federal agents, including at least one person being detained.

7:45 p.m.

Demonstrators moved back to the Federal Building, near the parking lot exit on Pearl Street. An announcement from inside the building called the gathering a “riot” and ordered people to disperse. A flash bang grenade was deployed as protestors stood near the building and at least one person has been detained

7 p.m.

Eugene police spokesperson Melinda McLaughlin at about 6:55 p.m. said, between 30 and 60 protesters had been moving between Sixth Avenue and Pearl Street and Seventh Avenue and Pearl.

“They were completely blocking the roadway and a vehicle attempting to go through had people jump on top of it,” McLaughlin said. “At least one person fell off … and was transported to a local hospital.”

6:31 p.m.

Lookout journalists witnessed the car that had hit the protester flee the scene.

6:27 p.m.

Shortly after 6 p.m., one of the people blocking traffic was carried down the street on the hood of a car, according to witnesses.

A Lookout photographer witnessed the aftermath, when the fast-moving car continued driving for 60 or 80 yards with a protester on the hood. The car abruptly stopped, and the person was thrown off.

An ambulance crew arrived and tended to the person, before transporting them away.

5:40 p.m.

Shortly after 5:30 p.m. a group of about 30 protesters was blocking traffic on Sixth Avenue and also on Pearl Street, near the Eugene Federal Building.

One of the protesters stopping traffic, identifying herself as Kathleen from Black Block Eugene, said, “We just want everybody to know there will be no business as usual, as long as war and genocide are on the table.”

5:22 p.m.

At 4 p.m., a crowd of 100 protesters answered a nationwide call for emergency protests across the nation after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran early Saturday morning. 

“Earlier today, the Trump administration along with Israel launched an unprovoked, illegal war on Iran,”  ANSWER Coalition, an antiwar group, wrote in a call to action. “Immediately, people hit the streets to express the majority sentiment in this country: we reject another endless war for regime change!”

The protest in Eugene took place in front of the Eugene Federal Building, objecting to the U.S attack on Iran, with many holding signs that read “No more oil wars,” and “Stop Trump now.”

Sam Cook, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, says they felt the need to quickly mobilize in Eugene and build off the momentum of protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier in the day.

“It’s only the American working class that can stop this type of conflict,” Cook said. “So it was very, very important for us to get out here and try to agitate and revive this anti-war movement.”

4:18 p.m.

At 1 p.m., a local group called Singing Resistance gathered at the Eugene Federal Building, to sing songs opposing ICE.

The local Singing Resistance chapter was inspired by protesters in Minneapolis that have been singing in the streets. The songs crossed genres from blues to gospel, with lyrics protesting ICE, such as “This is for our neighbors who are locked inside. Together, we will abolish ICE.”

Jill Switzer originally came to sing with Eugene’s chapter with a focus on ICE, but says her motivation to protest was also intensified by news of the U.S. attack on Iran.

“I think that is just another example of violence, unnecessary violence,” Switzer said. “There are so many things going on, it’s hard to focus on what’s really important, and so this is just a small grassroots way of saying, ‘Hey, we can speak up and do something.’”

Separately, a bit later in the afternoon, at the downtown Eugene Park Blocks, Eugene Springfield Solidarity Network and a coalition of Eugene labor unions gathered to protest ICE actions targeting immigrant labor.

“Attacks on immigrant workers affect the entire working class,” Indivisible Eugene wrote in a call to action. “When any group’s rights are stripped away through intimidation or selective enforcement, the rights of all workers are at risk. Labor believes an injury to one is an injury to all.”

Over a hundred protesters gathered in the park, as organizers gave speeches to rally the crowd.

Will Garrahan, a founding member of UO’s student union UAW, attended in solidarity with immigrant workers, regardless of their legal status.

“Injury to one is an injury to all,” Garrahan said. “Our immigrant neighbors and workers are this permanent underclass of labor that is used to erode the gains that we’ve gotten for people who are in this country – with proper documentation or not.”