Portland not a ‘war zone,’ but tensions are rising, locals say

PORTLAND — The arrest of Nicholas Sortor, a 27-year-old right-wing influencer from Washington, D.C., was quiet and quick.

A bike patrol officer from the Portland Police Bureau handcuffed Sortor shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday, about 200 feet away from most protesters outside the city’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. Officers arrested two others, booking all three on disorderly conduct charges.

The fallout after Sortor’s arrest was loud and dramatic.

Right-wing influencers and top federal government officials accused Portland police of siding with “antifa,” an umbrella description for far-left-leaning militant groups, and discriminating against conservatives. In reaction, the Trump administration promised a “surge” in federal agents, similar to what’s happened in Chica