Portland Police Chief Says Federal Officers Tear-Gassed Protest by Accident
Oct 18, 2025·Location: Portland, OR

Portland Police Commander Franz Schoening testified in federal court that on October 18, federal officers accidentally escalated a No Kings protest at an ICE facility when one officer misfired a tear gas launcher, sending a canister onto the roof where other federal officers were stationed. The officers on the roof mistook the friendly fire for an attack by protesters and retaliated by firing tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd, injuring local law enforcement in the process.
Sources
- PBS
- Chief: Violent Portland protests detract from message
Associated Press·Aug 6, 2020·archived copy
- Portland Police Chief Reveals Troops Tear-Gassed Protest by Accident
newrepublic.com·Oct 29, 2025·archived copy
- Portland Mayor Among Those Tear-Gassed by Federal Agents at Protest
voanews.com·Jul 23, 2020·archived copy
- The Oregonian
- Newser | Headline News Summaries, World News, and Breaking News
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