The Eugene City Council held a public meeting April 13, where dozens of residents urged the council to stop planning a potential fence around the federal building.
Activist group 50501 Eugene posted on Instagram days before the meeting, calling on followers and other Eugene residents to pack City Hall and voice their concerns about a fence being built around the Eugene Federal Building by the federal government.
“I ask that the city immediately cease all cooperation with the feds on this project, publicly condemn the construction of the fence, and provide full transparency regarding the planning and permitting process,” the post said.
Plans for a potential fence surfaced during a Feb. 12 Police Commission Meeting where Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner said the fence could go up “within the next few weeks.”
Though mentioned by Skinner, EPD has no involvement with the potential building of a fence said EPD spokesperson Melinda McLaughlin. The Federal Protective Service, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, would be responsible for building and installing the fence.
Throughout the start of the year, protests occurred almost daily at the Eugene Federal Building. In January, EPD declared one protest an “active riot” and ordered protesters to leave the building.
“A proposal for a fence denying protesters their right to protest misunderstands the cause behind the escalation of events at the federal building,” Jackson Smith, a speaker at the meeting, said. “I urge this council not to protect these agents, and I urge this council to protect this community and deny any permits to build fences at the federal building.”
Some residents asked the city to condemn the federal government’s actions at minimum and not assist the process by shutting down streets for construction of the fence.
“If the city truly cares about its immigrant constituents, it would — at the very least — publicly condemn this move by the feds and dig in its heels to slow the process,” Jan, one commentator who did not provide a last name when signing up for public comment, said.
Thirty-five people signed up for public comment, with the majority speaking about the fence, while others addressed public safety, the proposed alternative response and other issues.
The next council meeting is scheduled for April 27.
Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify the Eugene Police Department’s role in the building of a fence.
Mike • Apr 18, 2026 at 12:35 pm
Good do it. Its federal land who cares what the city says.