The sound of a protest outside her window wakes Brennah Hammar in the middle of the night. Tear gas creeps into her apartment complex, Gray's Landing, which is located across from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Portland's South Waterfront neighbourhood. For months, the area has become the site of nightly clashes between federal agents and protesters, dressed in black, who are opposed to immigration arrests. It's like a war zone, Ms Hammar, 57, says about her street. Several other residents spoke to BBC News about the unrest, which is centred on just one city block, as tensions have boiled over and put the city in the national spotlight. There are times I've had to have a gas mask on inside my own home, she says, demonstrating how she now wears her mask to sleep.
President Donald Trump says he wants to send in the National Guard to protect the officers and federal buildings, making Portland the latest test case in Trump's plan to deploy troops to places - mostly Democratic-run cities - that he says are plagued by crime. Portland is burning to the ground and is plagued by insurrectionists all over the place, he says.
But a federal judge has disagreed and temporarily halted Trump's plans for Portland, saying it appeared that the president had exceeded his constitutional authority. Trump's comments have also been widely mocked as hyperbole by the city's 635,000 residents.
However, for those living in this apartment complex, there is a daily battle on their doorstep, although they disagree over who is to blame for the violence. Some building residents blame Antifa, a anti-fascist movement that has been designated a domestic terrorist group by Trump. Gray's Landing neighbours who are sympathetic to the more extreme protesters have been allowing them to enter the building, leading to confrontations in hallways, residents say.
Mayor Keith Willis blames federal agents for inciting the crowd, calling for an investigation into actions taken by ICE agents. Meanwhile, the community has already seen significant changes. The Cottonwood School, next door to the ICE building, relocated due to the volatile environment.
As the crisis unfolds, opinions among residents remain deeply divided. Ms Colgrove, another resident, carries weapons for protection amid the chaos while expressing a desire for stronger policing. In contrast, fellow resident Mai Tai Boyd believes the deployment of National Guard is unconstitutional, reflecting the growing rifts within the community.
Despite ongoing unrest, life in other parts of Portland continues more or less as usual, underscoring the complex dynamics at play as citizens seek normalcy amid turbulence.
President Donald Trump says he wants to send in the National Guard to protect the officers and federal buildings, making Portland the latest test case in Trump's plan to deploy troops to places - mostly Democratic-run cities - that he says are plagued by crime. Portland is burning to the ground and is plagued by insurrectionists all over the place, he says.
But a federal judge has disagreed and temporarily halted Trump's plans for Portland, saying it appeared that the president had exceeded his constitutional authority. Trump's comments have also been widely mocked as hyperbole by the city's 635,000 residents.
However, for those living in this apartment complex, there is a daily battle on their doorstep, although they disagree over who is to blame for the violence. Some building residents blame Antifa, a anti-fascist movement that has been designated a domestic terrorist group by Trump. Gray's Landing neighbours who are sympathetic to the more extreme protesters have been allowing them to enter the building, leading to confrontations in hallways, residents say.
Mayor Keith Willis blames federal agents for inciting the crowd, calling for an investigation into actions taken by ICE agents. Meanwhile, the community has already seen significant changes. The Cottonwood School, next door to the ICE building, relocated due to the volatile environment.
As the crisis unfolds, opinions among residents remain deeply divided. Ms Colgrove, another resident, carries weapons for protection amid the chaos while expressing a desire for stronger policing. In contrast, fellow resident Mai Tai Boyd believes the deployment of National Guard is unconstitutional, reflecting the growing rifts within the community.
Despite ongoing unrest, life in other parts of Portland continues more or less as usual, underscoring the complex dynamics at play as citizens seek normalcy amid turbulence.
