Gov. Tina Kotek, Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson, U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle and other officials held a joint press conference Sunday regarding protests at the Eugene Federal Building and the Department of Homeland Security response.
Kotek said Americans need to stand together to push back against ICE tactics that she said create fear, tear families apart and take people’s lives.
“We have to effectively push back on the Trump administration,” Kotek said. “That means freedom of speech, freedom of expression. It is also true that we can do that without breaking the law, damaging property or putting other people at risk.”
The governor said she supports local law enforcement in efforts to “hold people accountable.”
Hoyle, the U.S. representative for Oregon’s 4th Congressional District, said that because Eugene is a small city, it is held to a different standard for protesting than larger cities such as Minneapolis and Chicago.
“I do not want to see 2,000 to 3,000 ICE agents in Eugene,” Hoyle said. “Peacefully protesting and not destroying property or coming close to destroying property is important. Stay away from the federal building. That’s all. It’s simple.”
Despite this, Hoyle urged people to “keep showing up,” saying that exercising First Amendment rights to protest and free speech “is what works.”
The comments come after daily protests at the Eugene Federal Building. On multiple occasions, tear gas, pepper balls, flash-bang grenades and other munitions were used to disperse protesters from the courtyard and surrounding sidewalks.
On Friday, Eugene police declared the area surrounding the building an active riot and urged protesters to clear the area before Department of Homeland Security officers used large amounts of tear gas and fired pepper balls from the roof. Several injuries were reported.
LMC • Feb 2, 2026 at 6:03 pm
Interesting that the FBI is looking for whomever broke the windows but we all saw the capital building in DC being overrun and vandalized on January 6th. People died! And the culprits were pardoned by the current administration!! What a joke! Who even cares who did it? ICE needs to go!
Alex • Feb 2, 2026 at 4:16 pm
Thank you for showing what student journalism can look like!
Vic Hariton • Feb 2, 2026 at 9:44 am
This is not the trump administration. That’s the wrong message! This is the Republican Congress and the efforts from the Heritage Foundation since 1973
that has brought this country to this point of crisis. Trump is the evil that they placed in office!
This needs to be remembered for future elections!!!