Conservative influencer and self-styled citizen journalist Nick Sortor was arrested by Portland, Oregon police Thursday night after fighting with protestors outside the city’s ICE facility.
Police say Sortor, 27, was detained on suspicion of second-degree disorderly conduct along with two Portland residents in their 40s. He was detained for a few hours in the Multnomah County Detention Center before being released without bond.
“Hey @PortlandPolice,” tweeted Sortor along with footage of his arrest.
“You made a big freaking mistake. You PROVED what we’ve all been saying for years: you’re CORRUPT and CONTROLLED by vioIent [sic] Antifa thugs who terrorize the streets. You thought arresting me would make me shut up and go away. You couldn’t have been more wrong.”
Sortor, a D.C. resident, has made a career out of delivering on-the-scene right-wing talking points about various news stories. He has appeared on shows like Steve Bannon’s War Room and The Ingraham Angle to deliver harrowing on-the-scene descriptions of events including the Maui fires and the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
So far, his coverage of the Portland protests has involved filming and cheering on armed forces arresting protestors. In one post, he signaled to his 1.2 million X followers, “If I defend myself, I will be the one who gets arrested. Not the assailant.”
There is no known video footage of the scuffle that led to his arrest at this time. The Daily Beast has reached out to Sortor for comment.
All eyes have turned to Portland since President Donald Trump earmarked it as the latest destination for his war on American civilians.
Last Saturday, Trump declared Portland a “war-ravaged” city and authorized the military to use “Full Force” on “domestic terrorists.” Sortor has spent his time in Portland attempting to paint it as a “third world hellhole” and begging Trump to send in the National Guard.
Actual Portland residents and officials have a much different view of the city. Portland Police Bureau Chief Bob Day told CNN that such descriptions don’t mesh with the reality of his city.
“We’re talking about one city block in 145 square miles,” he said, referring to the location of Portland’s ICE facility. He also noted that crime was down by double digits in the city as a whole.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek also expressed doubt the National Guard was needed in Portland.
“There is no national security threat in Portland. Our communities are safe and calm,” she tweeted last Saturday.
The National Guard is said to be receiving additional training outside Portland, but they haven’t arrived in the city yet.
