Antifa activist accidentally sets himself on fire while burning American flag outside Portland ICE facility

An Antifa activist set himself on fire while attempting to burn an American flag outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Portland, Oregon.

Video captured on a livestream showed the activist temporarily catching fire as he tried to ignite the flag. The flames spread onto his clothing for several seconds before he was able to put them out. After extinguishing the fire, the activist appeared to act casually among the surrounding crowd.

The incident is the latest in the ongoing protests taking place outside the Portland ICE facility. Last week, a federal judge in Oregon ordered federal officers at the ICE building to restrict their use of tear gas while a lawsuit over the practice continues. The order by US District Court Judge Amy Baggio prevents officers from using chemical munitions except when there is a reasonable fear for their lives. The judge described her decision as “an extraordinary remedy.” 

“This is an extraordinary case,” she wrote, adding the deployment of gas made it “difficult or impossible for (tenants) to eat, sleep, or simply breathe normally while in their own homes.”

Portland has continued to face backlash from anti-ICE agitators. In February, protesters disrupted a Portland City Council meeting that resulted in four arrests, which city officials called a “mini insurrection.” The disruption was organized by the Antifa-affiliated group "Revoke ICE Permit PDX,” and the meeting had to be shut down for 45 minutes as police removed demonstrators. At least 26 officers were mobilized to clear agitators from the council chambers and the lobby.