Late Thursday night, Portland police arrested independent journalist and conservative commentator Nick Sortor while he was reporting on the unrest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. The arrest came shortly after Sortor reported being attacked by members of Antifa. “This was as big of a surprise to me as it was to everybody else,” Sortor told Fox News. “All of a sudden, you know, I’m being jumped by antifa thugs.”
Sortor thought he could find safety among the police. “I stumble away and go back toward cops where I think, you know, at least, all right, well, maybe that’ll be a safer place for me to go… never suspected that I was going to be the target of the arrest,” he recounted. Instead of sanctuary, he found himself in handcuffs.
The incident has drawn attention from officials in the Trump administration. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced a full investigation by the Department of Justice into the circumstances of Sortor’s arrest. Leavitt vowed that federal aid to Portland could be cut as a response to the unrest, stating, “We will NOT fund states that allow anarchy!”
Sortor criticized the police’s approach, alleging they side with violent criminals. During his interview, he expressed disbelief over his arrest. “This is going to backfire on them tremendously,” he warned about the city’s leaders. He emphasized how the police in Portland appear to favor those engaging in violence against law enforcement, while detaining those trying to report the chaos.
Initially perplexed, Sortor thought the police were acting discreetly to protect him. “And when they put me into handcuffs, the first thing that went to my mind wasn’t, ‘Oh, you’re being arrested,’” he stated. He did not even know what charges were brought against him until an hour had passed, emphasizing a lack of communication from the officers.
Portland police later stated that Sortor was charged with second-degree disorderly conduct after a physical confrontation involving two men. Their release indicated that officers were monitoring the situation and responded to a scuffle they observed. The statement claimed that both individuals involved in the altercation were detained but released shortly after, with no one seeking to file formal police reports.
Sortor, however, did not deny the possibility of a physical confrontation with Antifa members. He reported, “So they threw multiple punches at me. They broke my camera by hitting that.” He defended his response to the assault, claiming he had the right to fight back when attacked. “I think I have every right to swing on somebody that has got me on the ground after punching me and after breaking my equipment,” he asserted.
The portrayal of journalists during such volatile events raises questions about the freedoms of the press in the midst of civil unrest. Sortor’s experience offers a window into the challenges faced by those trying to report on events that often spiral into chaos. “They take the side of the violent criminals that are here every single day,” he lamented.
This incident may not only alter the dynamics of coverage in Portland but could also have broader implications on how law enforcement interacts with reporters amid rising tensions in the country. As the situation develops, the response from local and federal authorities remains crucial in assessing the future of journalist safety during civil disturbances.
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