Curfew declared in Spokane, Washington following anti-ICE protests

A state of emergency and a nighttime curfew has been issued for part of downtown Spokane, Washington after a protest over an immigration detention escalated. The protest, which began outside the local ICE office, prompted police to declare an unlawful assembly and issue multiple dispersal orders.

The curfew, announced by Mayor Lisa Brown, took effect at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday and will remain in place until 5 a.m. Thursday. It covers the area from Boone Avenue to Spokane Falls Boulevard and from Howard Street to Division Street, including Riverfront Park. Officials said the measure is intended to preserve public safety amid civil unrest.

Tensions rose after community members gathered outside the ICE office to protest the detainment of a 21-year-old Venezuelan asylum seeker. According to KREM 2, the man was taken into custody during a scheduled check-in with immigration authorities.

Former Spokane City Councilman Ben Stuckart, who recently became the man’s legal guardian, said the detainee had filed the necessary paperwork to seek asylum and should not have been detained.

The protest grew rapidly, with demonstrators surrounding the vehicle reportedly intended to transport the man and another Venezuelan detainee to a facility in Tacoma. Several cars were parked in front of and behind the truck, blocking its movement, KREM 2 reported.

The Spokane Police Department declared the protest an unlawful assembly, citing public safety concerns, and issued repeated dispersal warnings. Authorities said dispersal orders were issued to the crowd “to no effect.”

The curfew applies to all individuals within the specified zone, though exceptions are granted for law enforcement, emergency responders, credentialed media, local residents, people attending a soccer game at the Podium, and those commuting to or from work.

This comes as cities across the United States face unrest related to federal immigration enforcement and the deployment of military personnel. On Tuesday, Los Angeles imposed its own curfew following multiple nights of protests and incidents of vandalism and looting. That unrest was triggered by large-scale ICE raids and the mobilization of thousands of National Guard troops and active-duty Marines under President Trump’s orders.