A federal judge has ordered the removal of security fencing protecting a Eugene federal building within 48 hours, despite ongoing violent attacks by Antifa groups that caused over $200,000 in damage and prompted an active FBI manhunt for rioters who breached the facility.

Court Orders Barrier Removed Despite Violence

U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai ruled Monday that perimeter fencing installed around the Eugene Federal Building violates the First Amendment by blocking access to an upper courtyard area. The Biden-appointed judge rejected government proposals for a permit system and alternative demonstration spaces, insisting the plaza must remain fully open for what he called spontaneous protests. The ruling comes despite months of documented violent attacks on the facility by anarchist groups.

The $270,000 security barrier was installed in April 2026 following a series of escalating attacks on the building. Federal officials planned to maintain the temporary fencing for approximately two years while completing security upgrades including riot-proof glass installation. The General Services Administration determined the fence was necessary to protect employees and prevent future breaches after the building’s Facility Security Committee conducted a comprehensive assessment.

Pattern of Violent Attacks Preceded Fence Installation

On January 30, 2026, between 400 and 500 anti-ICE protesters descended on the Eugene Federal Building in an assault that forced its closure for 10 days. Rioters shattered multiple windows, spray-painted federal property, hurled rocks at law enforcement officers, and successfully breached the building’s lobby. Federal employees were trapped inside during the attack, which Eugene police officially declared a riot. The FBI launched an investigation and offered rewards up to $5,000 for information leading to arrests.

The January riot followed a September 2025 incident where masked protesters surrounded the building, blocked entrances and exits, and pounded on doors and windows while trapping federal workers inside. The attack occurred one day after President Trump designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. Federal police made multiple arrests as the group attempted to lay siege to the facility, which houses VA services for veterans alongside other federal offices.

Security Concerns Override Federal Protection Efforts

President Trump publicly condemned the January attack, criticizing local police for their response and vowing his administration would not permit federal buildings to be damaged by what he termed insurrectionists and anarchists. At least one suspect has been federally charged with depredation of government property in connection with the riots. Judge Kasubhai left open the possibility of limited fencing on breezeways but ordered the main protective barrier around the upper plaza removed immediately. Left-wing activists represented by the Civil Liberties Defense Center filed the lawsuit claiming the fence was designed to suppress free speech rather than protect federal property and employees.