Federal officers tackle and detain clarinetist Oriana Korol, 38, at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities after the 'Emergency Naked Bike Ride.' Portland, Oregon, U.S., October 12, 2025. REUTERS/John Rudoff
A social worker and American citizen was tackled by a federal agent while playing her clarinet with a brass band — with most of the players dressed in Banana costumes — and now faces felony charges on allegations she attacked federal officers during the Portland protests.
The Contrarian's Tim Dickinson wrote about Oriana Korol, who joined a protest band and now faces felony charges for assaulting a federal officer.
Dickinson spoke to bandleader Miles Thompson, who watched as the scene unfolded in real time before, during, and after Korol's arrest. Thompson said that the federal agents were "ramping up their aggression" throughout the day, a rainy Sunday just a few weeks ago.
Around 5 p.m., "the feds were becoming violent," described Dickinson.
“The last time they came out I saw a whole lot more aggression,” Thompson told him. “One officer shoved someone so hard, they left the ground because they weren’t backing up fast enough.”
The band got caught up in an ordeal, including Korol.
“We were playing ‘Ghost Busters,’” Thompson recalled when talking to Dickinson. “Suddenly, I see people running by. An officer dive-tackled this person [they were pursuing] into our band and knocked over one of our drummers."
Korol was blocked between people and couldn't move.
“The scuffle was at Ori’s feet,” Thompson recalled. “She was more or less pinned against the fence.” Then, as Thompson describes it, “another officer came in and they just tacked Ori — and took her into custody as well.”
She was then shipped to Washington state and held for days without any charges or trial. Ultimately, after a holiday weekend, she was allowed a court date, but it was back in Portland.
The charging documents claim that the social worker with a preschool child was kicking and biting a Federal Protective Services officer.
"The federal complaint alleges that Korol involved herself in the action at her feet by attempting to 'pull' the arrestee 'away from federal officers,'" the report said. "She was subsequently approached by AV — who 'pushed Korol away from the arrest… after which she fell,' the complaint says. Once on the ground, it alleges, Korol 'brought her right foot back and kicked AV’s left leg.' Later, as she was 'on her stomach' being detained by the officer, the complaint adds, 'video also shows Korol’s mouth around AV’s right arm.'"
A Fox News video showed a man appearing to pull the person being tackled. Korol suddenly gets shoved into the dogpile of people before the officer grabs her and throws her against the fence. The officer points at her as she climbs up, holding onto her woodwind instrument and the metal fence.
A police officer then deploys pepper spray at her and the group. She leans back against the metal fence, and the officer's hand can be seen on her right shoulder as she's pushed back against the fence again. She then falls on her left side, dropping her hat but hanging onto her clarinet. She grabs the fence with her right hand while her instrument remains in her left.
The officer appears to be trying to grab her leg as she rolls over on her left side and tries to get up out of the mud. As she began to try and push herself up while on her stomach, the officer jumped on top of her and grabbed her around the neck with his left arm while pressing on the back of her head with his right.
She dropped her clarinet, and someone picked it up as two police officers grabbed her hands to cuff her. The officer on her right pulled her arm back to lift her, but she fell, bringing him with her. She can be seen grabbing her left wrist with her right hand. She then reaches both hands to her face as both men try to pick her up using her backpack.
At no time in the video does Korol's mouth appear around the officer's arm or leg.