On Jan. 30, community members in both Eugene and Springfield attended rallies to demand that ICE be out of Lane County, in solidarity with the nationwide general strike that day. In Eugene, a riot was declared.
At 12 p.m., nearly 100 people began to arrive at the Old Federal Building in Eugene for the “Youth Against ICE” protest scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. The protest continued throughout the afternoon and evening peacefully as protesters waved signs, chanted, and received honks of support from passing motorists.
Between 300 and 500 people attended the protest at its peak. Around 3 p.m., protesters began to gather in front of the building’s main entrance. The Daily Emerald reported that at least one person kicked a window while others threw eggs at the building.
Federal officers were inside the building in full tactical gear, staged and ready, but had not interacted with protesters up to that point…