Portland Man Faces 30 Years for ICE Protest

Robert Jacob Hoopes, a 24-year-old Portland man and lifelong Quaker committed to pacifism, has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault of a federal officer and damaging federal property during a June 14 anti-ICE protest. Prosecutors allege Hoopes threw rocks at a Portland ICE building, with one rock striking an officer in the face and causing a significant injury, and that he and others used a stop sign as a battering ram, resulting in thousands of dollars in damage. The FBI identified Hoopes through facial recognition and tattoo analysis from protest photos, leading to his arrest at his home on July 25. Despite claims from his family and roommate about his peaceful nature, prosecutors assert his actions were violent and intentional. Hoopes faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted, but was granted pretrial release by a magistrate judge despite prosecutors' opposition. The case unfolds amid ongoing tensions and police use of force at Portland ICE protests.