Since June 8, 2025, the day after arrests began outside Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building, Ritto has been on the ground, starting nightly fires. Firing up the grill, that is. It’s one of the roles he plays in the ongoing demonstration opposing the ICE facility in Portland’s South Waterfront. These daily demonstrations are the main reason the Trump administration is determined to deploy the National Guard to downtown Portland and why Trump called the city “war-ravaged” with “fires all over the place.” Thus far, on-the-ground observers and judges have disagreed with the characterization. Since early October, temporary restraining orders have blocked deployment and were, as of publication,
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