DOJ charges Portland agitator for assaulting federal officer during protest at ICE facility

Tomas Plancarte-Benson, 37, appeared in federal court on Monday and was formally charged by criminal complaint with the felony offense of assaulting a federal officer. He has been accused of shoving a federal officer after refusing orders to clear the driveway at the ICE facility.

According to court documents, Plancarte-Benson was among a group of agitators blocking the ICE driveway on September 27, the day President Donald Trump ordered military troops to be deployed to the area. Federal officers issued several verbal commands to "move" or "clear the driveway." Rather than comply with the orders, the complaint states, "Plancarte-Benson shoved a federal officer and retreated into the crowd."

Tomas Plancarte-Benson (plaid jacket) can be observed shoving an FPS agent in stills from surveillance video. Credit: FBI affidavit

The defendant reappeared in front of the ICE facility and was taken into custody during a targeted arrest for assault on a federal officer.

The Post Millennial captured video footage of the incident, which shows Plancarte-Benson being tackled to the ground by federal officers while resisting arrest. It took several officers from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Protective Service (FPS) to take him into custody.

"Violence at the ICE building or any other federal building will not be tolerated," said Scott Bradford, US Attorney for the District of Oregon, in a press release. "If you assault a federal law enforcement officer, you will be arrested and prosecuted."

Since June 13, the Department of Justice has charged 27 protesters with federal crimes for offenses committed at the ICE facility on Macadam Avenue, including assaulting federal officers, arson, failure to comply, and depredation of government property. Additionally, Portland Police have taken more than 20 protesters into custody for criminal behavior committed during the 24-hour Antifa-affiliated occupation.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump ordered Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to deploy military troops to the ICE facility to quash the occupation, which has been the site of ongoing violence and lawlessness since June 7.

Plancarte-Benson faces up to eight years in federal prison if convicted.