DOJ Probes Portland Police Response to Arrest of Journalist Amid Antifa Protests

The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, led by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, has launched an investigation into the Portland Police Bureau's response to two incidents involving journalist Katie Daviscourt and journalist Nick Sortor amid protests at the ICE facility. Dhillon's inquiry focuses on allegations of viewpoint discrimination, including the police arresting Sortor while reportedly failing to detain individuals who assaulted Daviscourt, as well as the city's efforts to limit ICE's operations through zoning enforcement. Sortor, who was documenting Antifa protests, was attacked by the crowd and subsequently arrested by Portland police on disorderly conduct charges, despite claiming he was the victim and witnessing others committing violence without arrest. He has described the arrest as wrongful and politically motivated, with support from Attorney General Pam Bondi ordering a full investigation into the police actions. The Portland Police Bureau defended its conduct, stating it targets criminal acts and conducts follow-up investigations, and noted that arrests might occur later even if not made at the scene. These developments occur against the backdrop of the Trump administration's stance on immigration enforcement and its efforts to withhold federal funds from states perceived as allowing lawlessness.