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Tear gas was deployed in Portland when chaos erupted outside a federal immigration building following nationwide 'No Kings Day' protest against President Trump.
Thousands marched the streets of the Oregon city peacefully Saturday before protesters began clashing with police near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.
Video from the scene showed law enforcement firing tear gas and crowd-control munitions after demonstrators refused repeated orders to clear the street.
Dozens of protesters, some wearing gas masks and goggles, hurled taunts at the advancing line of officers as smoke drifted through the industrial district.
The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) confirmed that three people were detained following an alleged assault linked to the protest, with one person arrested and booked into jail. Two others remain under investigation.
Officials released a photo showing a handcuffed suspect beside a patrol car, but have not yet identified the individual.
An Incident Management Team led by a Crowd Management Incident Commander was activated as tensions escalated. Police used sound trucks to issue warnings.
'If you stay in the street, you may be arrested or cited for applicable laws,' one announcement blared.
'Failure to comply with officer orders may subject you to crowd control measures, including impact munitions or other physical force,' warned another.
The confrontation capped hours of largely peaceful protest - one of more than 2,500 rallies planned across the country.
Marchers waved banners reading 'No Thrones, No Crowns, No Kings'.
In Portland, the group converged on Waterfront Park around midmorning before demonstrators began moving toward federal property around midday. That's where skirmishes with law enforcement broke out.
Organizers with the No Kings Coalition had earlier urged participants to remain calm, emphasizing their commitment to 'de-escalation and safety.'
Despite those assurances, Portland's rally mirrored scenes from other major cities where marches turned volatile amid heightened tension between protesters and police.
The 'No Kings Day' movement, the second nationwide protest of the year, drew hundreds of thousands across American cities including Chicago, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Atlanta.
The campaign brands itself as a stand against 'authoritarianism and cruelty,' rallying against what organizers describe as Trump's 'crusade against immigrants, healthcare, and free speech.'
In Los Angeles on Saturday evening, police declared an unlawful assembly near the Metropolitan Detention Center downtown.
Officers used tear gas on crowds and nonlethal rounds. It led to protesters accusing police of escalating tensions following peaceful daytime demonstrations.
'A dispersal order for the area of Alameda between Aliso and Temple has been ordered ... All persons in the area of Alameda and Aliso/Commercial must leave the area,' the LAPD posted on social media at 6:55 pm.
'All persons in the area have 15 minutes to comply. If you remain in the area you may be subject to arrest or other police action.'
In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson electrified a massive crowd by accusing Trump of seeking a 'Civil War rematch.'
'Are you prepared to destroy authoritarianism once and for all? We'll let the world hear you - no kings!' he shouted from the stage, urging Americans to 'defend democracy' and 'fight fascism.'
'The attempt to divide and conquer this nation will not prevail because when the people are united, justice always prevails,' he added.
The protests drew an array of high-profile supporters. Actors Jack Black and John Cusack were spotted among the marchers, while Senators Bernie Sanders, Raphael Warnock, Chris Murphy, and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker addressed rallies nationwide.
'No, you [Trump] can't put troops on our streets. You can't create enough chaos to invoke the Insurrection Act so you can stay in power. We all know what your plan is,' Cusack told CNN at the event in Chicago.
Sanders spoke in Washington, D.C., denouncing what he called an orchestrated assault on civil liberties, while Warnock in Atlanta accused Trump of 'weaponizing despair.'
Meanwhile, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson branded the rallies a 'hate America protest' filled with 'antifa people and pro-Hamas sympathizers.'
Governors across several states mobilized security forces as the day unfolded. Texas Governor Greg Abbott vowed to 'surge forces' into Austin ahead of the protests, warning, 'Texas will NOT tolerate chaos.'
In Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin activated the National Guard, saying peaceful protest 'does not include destruction of property, looting, vandalism, or violence of any kind — for which there will be zero tolerance.'
Even in states untouched by unrest, officials placed law enforcement on alert, bracing for possible copycat demonstrations.