Portland anti-ICE demonstrators confused when person in full-size Elmo costume shows up
Katie Daviscourt of The Post Millennial filmed the confrontation at the ICE South Waterfront facility on Saturday.
In the video, the unidentified person in the costume is seen posing on the ground in front of the entrance to the ICE facility, crawling around outside and then dancing in front of the anti-ICE demonstrators who attempted to confront the person.
The incident reportedly left anti-ICE demonstrators confused and frustrated, according to newsgathering website Storyful.
Multiple Arrests After Violent Mob Attacks Portland Ice Facility With Fireworks And Knives
Earlier this month, Portland's progressive-leaning city council was exploring ways to expel ICE from the detention facility that has become a flashpoint for violent clashes between agents and radical agitators.
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City councilors told a packed hearing that they would consider revoking ICE's permit to operate the South Waterfront facility due to alleged violations of a 2011 conditional-use permit, according to local news outlet Willamette Week.
Portland Anti-ice Riot Crushed By Federal Agents
The permit allows detention and administrative use under specific limitations, but lawmakers have raised concerns that ICE has been holding detainees there for longer than the required 12-hour limit.
Residents and lawmakers raised other concerns, saying that the facility undermines the city's sanctuary city policy, while residents testified about targeted arrests, gas attacks and intimidation.
"Our values of sanctuary and humanity are under siege," local resident Michelle Dar said. She also said that federal agents' armed actions threatened everyone's safety, not just that of immigrants.
Other residents complained that loud bangs and flashbangs were disrupting life for residents of subsidized housing and students of a local school. A handful of people also blamed Antifa for the ugly scenes outside the facility.
Chaotic scenes have been unfolding outside the facility since June, including in one incident when a large group of anti-ICE protesters tried to block law enforcement vehicles from entering and exiting the facility, forcing agents to deploy rubber bullets, tear gas and flash bangs to disperse the crowd.
Fox News' Michael Dorgan, Alexandra Koch and Bill Melugin contributed to this report. Original article source: Portland anti-ICE demonstrators confused when person in full-size Elmo costume shows up
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