Portland jury convicts leftist doctor who clashed with police during ICE facility 'May Day' riot

A Portland jury has convicted a leftist doctor for interfering with police during a violent direct action at the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. Catherine Esperanza, 30, attempted to de-arrest a fellow anti-ICE demonstrator several times, resulting in a clash with police.

The incident occurred on May 1 during the annual Antifa/anarchist "May Day" riot. The six-person jury took two hours to deliberate before finding Esperanza guilty of misdemeanor interfering with a police officer. Multnomah County Judge Celia Howes sentenced Esperanza to 18 months of probation and 40 hours of community service, declining the prosecutor's request for a 10-day jail sentence.

Esperanza arrived at the demonstration donning riot gear, including an industrial-grade gas mask and goggles, prosecutors said, according to the Oregonian. She was also carrying a sign that read, "Revoke the ICE permit." The crowd was extremely violent that day, and shortly after arriving at the ICE facility, many protesters began trespassing and attacking federal property.

Portland Police arrived on the scene and declared an unlawful assembly. That's when Esperanza was at the front of a "human chain" created to prevent demonstrators from being arrested. When Officer George Anderson attempted to make an arrest, Esperanza grabbed the protester away from Anderson. The officer removed Esperanza's hands, but she did not let up and grabbed the arrest target again.

Esperanza told the Court that she had simply fallen and grabbed onto the protester to steady herself, as she had broken her leg at a previous anti-ICE direct action when she was hit with a tear gas canister. The jury didn't buy her claims.

Esperanza, a far-left anti-government activist, is a post-doctorate fellow in psychology. She was booked into jail following the May 1 incident and spent two days in custody.

More than 40 anti-ICE demonstrators have been criminally charged for offenses committed at the federal facility since June 2025, when Antifa-aligned protesters formed a 24-hour occupation that lasted for about 5.5 months. The majority of indictments have resulted in convictions, including assault on police with deadly weapons, arson, and property damage. Prosecutions remain ongoing.