Independent journalist Nick Sortor declared victory Monday after the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office dropped all disorderly conduct charges filed against him earlier this month. Sortor was arrested on October 2 while covering violent protests targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and facilities in Portland, Oregon.
District Attorney Nathan Vasquez announced the dismissal following a review of reports and video evidence, concluding that the state could not prove Sortor committed any crime. “After a careful review of the investigation, including reports and video, we do not believe the crime of Disorderly Conduct can be proven against Mr. Sortor beyond a reasonable doubt,” Vasquez said.
The DA’s office confirmed that charges have instead been filed against the two men accused of attacking Sortor outside the ICE facility. “Free speech does not include the freedom to commit crimes,” Vasquez added. “It does not matter if an individual is expressing ideology from the left, right, or center. What matters is whether or not there is evidence to prove a crime was committed.”
Sortor, who was recording the violent demonstrations when the altercation occurred, called the dismissal “only the beginning.” His legal team has taken further action against the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), alleging political bias in his arrest.
Attorney D. Angus Lee of Vancouver, Washington, sent a formal letter to Portland Police Chief Bob Day claiming that Sortor’s arrest was ordered by “a member of the command staff and/or a supervising officer,” not by officers on the scene. Lee said the incident reflects “a larger pattern and practice within the Portland Police Bureau of suppressing and silencing conservative media and political activity.”
The letter demands a formal apology from PPB within seven days and the launch of an internal investigation into the circumstances of the arrest, including the role of supervisory staff. “Mr. Sortor hopes the Bureau will take immediate corrective action and demonstrate a renewed commitment to constitutional policing, the protection of free expression, and accountability,” Lee wrote.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between Portland authorities and conservative journalists who have frequently accused city leadership and police officials of selective enforcement during left-wing protests and riots.
